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October
17, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON,
October 17, 2000 – United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) announced today
that it will maintain a reservations center in Winston-Salem, N.C.,
pending the successful completion of the merger between United and
US Airways.
"Our decision to retain this important US
Airways reservations center reaffirms United’s commitment to
Winston-Salem and to the state of North Carolina," said James E.
Goodwin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines.
"The team at Winston-Salem is highly skilled and performs
outstanding work for some of US Airways’ most valuable customers. As
we studied the needs of the merged airline, it became increasingly
clear that the center should be retained."
Goodwin thanked
the federal, state and local officials who have voiced support for
the merger and helped United reach its decision on the Winston-Salem
facility. Bipartisan support came from virtually the entire North
Carolina congressional delegation, including Sens. Jesse Helms (R);
Congresswomen Eva Clayton (D) and Sue Myrick (R); and Congressmen
Cass Ballenger (R), Richard Burr (R), Howard Coble (R), Bob
Etheridge (D), Robin Hayes (R), Walter Jones (R), Mike McIntyre (D),
David Price (D), Charles Taylor (R) and Mel Watt (D). Goodwin also
thanks North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt.
United has pledged to
serve all 14 airports in North Carolina now served by US Airways.
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, which today is US Airways’
largest hub in terms of passenger emplanements, will become an even
stronger hub for United.
once the merger is completed with
490 daily departures and non-stop or one-stop service to 249
destinations. Planned new non-stops from Charlotte include new daily
service to Portland, Ore., Austin and San Antonio, Aruba and
Barbados, and additional non-stop service to Denver, San Francisco
and Seattle.
United announced its transaction to acquire US
Airways and merge the two companies on May 24, and hopes to complete
the transaction by the first quarter of 2001, subject to gaining all
necessary regulatory approvals. The merged airline would operate a
fleet of approximately 1,000 aircraft and would serve 316 cities
across the globe with more than 4,200 daily flights. United has
promised that it will not furlough any employees, at either United
or US Airways, as a result of the merger.
United Airlines
today offers more than 2,400 scheduled flights a day on a route
network that spans the globe.
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Safe Harbor Statement under the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release
contains certain "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements are based on management’s current expectations and are
naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.
Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained
herein. The forward-looking statements contained herein include
statements about future financial and operating results and benefits
of the pending merger between United and US Airways. Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those described
herein include: industry capacity decisions; the airline pricing
environment; competitors’ route decisions; the inability to obtain
regulatory approvals; actions of the U.S., foreign and local
governments; domestic and international travel patterns; the
inability to successfully integrate the businesses of United and US
Airways; costs related to the merger; the inability to achieve cost
cutting synergies resulting from the merger; labor integration
issues; the economic environment of the airline industry and the
general economic environment. More detailed information about these
factors is set forth in the reports filed by United and US Airways
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Neither United nor US
Airways is under any obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such
obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
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