United Air Lines, Inc

United Air Lines, Inc., trading as United Airlines, is a major airline of the United States.[1] It is a subsidiary of UAL Corporation with corporate offices in Chicago, Illinois at 77 West Wacker Drive, and its operations base in nearby Elk Grove Township. United's largest hub is O'Hare International Airport, where it has 650 daily departures. United also has hubs in Denver International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. Its largest maintenance facility is at San Francisco International Airport. The airline also maintains focus city operations at Narita International Airport in Tokyo.

As of July 31, 2006, United is the world's second-largest airline by revenue-passenger-miles (behind American Airlines), third-largest by total operating revenues (behind Air France-KLM and American Airlines), and fourth-largest by total passengers transported (behind American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines). United has 56,000 employees [2] and operates 460 aircraft. They are regarded as the 5th-largest airline by the List of largest airlines in terms of fleet size.

On February 1, 2006, United emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under which it had operated since December 9, 2002, the largest and longest airline bankruptcy case in the history of the industry.[3]

As of February 16, 2008, United and Continental Airlines are in advanced stages of merger negotiations and expect to announce their decision in the immediate aftermath of a definitive merger agreement between rival Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines.[4] The timing of the events is notable because Northwest's golden shares in Continental (that gives Northwest veto authority against any merger involving Continental) can be redeemed, freeing Continental to pursue a marriage with United.

UAL traces its claim to be the oldest commercial airline in the United States to the Varney Airlines air mail service of Walter Varney, who also founded Continental Airlines. It was founded in Boise, Idaho. Varney's chief pilot, Leon D. "Lee" Cuddeback, flew the first Contract Air Mail flight in a Swallow biplane from Varney's headquarters in Boise, Idaho to the railroad mail hub of Pasco, Washington on April 6, 1926 and returned the following day with 200 pounds of mail[5]. April 6 is regarded in the United Airlines company history as both its own birthday[6] and the date on which "true" airline service—operating on fixed routes and fixed schedules—began in the United States. Varney Airlines' original 1925 hangar served as a portion of the terminal building for the Boise Airport until 2003, when the structure was replaced.

Boeing 767-300ER

In 1927, airplane pioneer William Boeing founded his own airline, Boeing Air Transport, and began buying other airmail carriers, including Varney's. Within four years, Boeing's holdings grew to include airlines, airplane and parts manufacturing companies, and several airports. In 1929, the company changed its name to United Aircraft - Transport Corp. In 1930, as the capacity of airplanes proved sufficient to carry not only mail but also passengers, Boeing Air Transport hired a registered nurse, Ellen Church, to assist passengers. United claims Church as the first airline stewardess[7].

Following the Air Mail Scandal of 1930, the Air Mail Act of 1934 banned the common ownership of manufacturers and airlines. United Aircraft-Transport's President Philip G. Johnson was forced to resign and moved to Trans-Canada Airlines, the future Air Canada.