Korean Air to Launch Nonstop Service from Los Angeles to Brazil

LOS ANGELES, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced that Korean Air will launch new, nonstop service on June 2nd from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic center. The service between the commercial hubs is a direct result of the Mayor's 2006 trade mission to Asia and a reflection of his intent to re-establish Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as one of the world's great international gateway airports.

"We are excited by the new service to Sao Paulo and look forward to its start this summer," Mayor Villaraigosa said. "The establishment of new international service from Los Angeles is a high priority for my Administration and a focus point of our promotional initiatives around the world as we work to revitalize LAX, expand operations at LA/Ontario International Airport and boost the Southern California economy."

"Korean Air's non stop flight between LAX and Sao Paulo is a key route for people who want to conduct business in the world's second largest city," said Jong Eun Lee, Korean Air's regional vice president for the Americas. "Korean Air already offers the best options for travel to Asia, but we're also a global airline that will now provide the much needed passenger and cargo service between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo that no other company has the scope to do."

Subject to government approval, KE061 will operate Monday-Wednesday-Friday flights between LAX and Sao Paulo (GRU) beginning June 2nd using Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The aircraft will have a seating capacity of 260 in three classes including 8 First class sleeper seats, 27 lie-flat Business class seats and 225 economy class seats.

The flight is tentatively scheduled to depart LAX at 7:30pm and arrive in Sao Paulo at 11:00am the next morning. The return flight will leave Sao Paulo at 1:30pm and arrive LAX at 9:30pm the same day.

Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil with a population of more than 10 million, the second largest city in the world and it is the most populous city in South America. Korean Air will be the only airline with nonstop service between Los Angeles and Brazil.

"It is fitting that Los Angeles travelers have a nonstop option for service to Brazil's financial capital and it is my hope that Korean Air will increase its frequency to daily service," said Mayor Villaraigosa, who visited China, Japan and South Korea in October 2006 to promote trade with Los Angeles. In South Korea, the Mayor's delegation visited Seoul and Busan.

Asia is Los Angeles' top regional trading partner with more than 564,000 tons of air cargo valued at nearly $45 billion annually, while South Korea is the City's fourth-largest overseas visitor market.

Korean Air is the largest cargo carrier in the world and carries more air cargo at LAX than any other passenger airline. The airline also is the largest transpacific passenger carrier out of Los Angeles, and flies from more cities in the Americas to more cities in China than any other airline in the world. This new service will provide an important air cargo connection between Asia and Brazil that will generate a significant positive economic impact on the Southern California economy.

Korean Air is the eighth carrier in recent months to begin or announce new international service to Los Angeles. The airline currently flies 24 weekly roundtrips from Los Angeles to Seoul and Tokyo.