Emirates gets its first A380 superjumbo

Dubai-based Emirates Airline welcomed its first Airbus A380 at a dedicated ceremony on Monday at the planemaker’s delivery plant in Hamburg.

Emirates’ first A380 service is scheduled for August 1 and will operate between Dubai and New York, making the carrier the first to use the superjumbo commercially in the US.

The double-decker aircraft features 489 seats with 14 in First Class Suites, where First-class passengers will be able to make use of a shower onboard and enjoy a drink at the upstairs bar.

Currently Emirates has 50 Airbus aircraft in its fleet and has ordered 58 of the new A380. The airline said it plans to expand its A380 routes to London, Sydney and Auckland.

Another NYC landmark skyscraper sells

One of the most iconic skyscrapers in New York City – the Chrysler Building – was sold today for $800 million to the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

The Chrysler Building, located on the east side of Manhattan at 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, is one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century and remains one of the most recognizable buildings in New York. It was erected between 1928 and 1930 and it was briefly the world's tallest building before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931.

This past June, another landmark skyscraper in New York – the General Motors Building – was sold for $2.9 billion to Boston Properties and partner investment funds from Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait.

Airline performance improves in May

The on-time flight performance has improved for the nation's airlines in May compared to the same period last year, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation released Monday.

The latest figures showed the average on-time arrival rate for the 19 largest U.S. carriers was 79 percent in this past May, higher than both May 2007’s 77.9 percent and April 2008’s 77.7 percent.

Hawaiian Airlines recorded the best performance in May at 88.9 percent, while American Airlines had the industry's worst on-time arrival rate at 67.3 percent.

On-time arrival rates

Best

1. Hawaiian Airlines – 88.9 percent
2. Pinnacle Airlines – 85.9 percent
3. AirTran Airways – 84.7 percent

Worst

1. American Airlines – 67.3 percent
2. United Airlines – 72.4 percent
3. Continental Airlines – 75.4 percent

Most Frequently Delayed Flights

1. Southwest Airlines flight 2709 from Houston to San Diego – late 100 percent of the time
2. Northwest Airlines flight 851 from Detroit to Anchorage – late 94.12 percent of the time
3. SkyWest Airlines flight 2718 from Muskegon to Flint – late 91.67 percent of the time

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics