EK 202

EK 202 is the flight code of Emirates Airlines direct flight New York to Dubai. It is the physical link between Western and Middle Eastern societies. In this visual manifestation a single 15m linear string of electroluminescent wiring weaves back and forth within a clear acrylic block to form the letters “EK 202”. The thick acrylic block represents the perceived differences in culture as the lines of light become reminiscent of flight patterns on a control screen as they go from one side to the next.

This flight code most recently appeared in the news when Faisal Shahzad nearly escaped to the Middle East after his car bomb fizzled out in New York's Time Square on May 1st 2010. Shahzad was arrested approximately 53 hours after the attempt by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. He was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport, after already boarding Emirates Flight EK202 to Dubai. The plane had disembarked from the terminal and was moving into take off position when it was stopped. His final destination had been Islamabad, Pakistan.