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Timeline
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Jan 13, 2000
Company establishes new e-commerce subsidiary to maximize the sale of travel products over the Internet and Internet-enabled devices.

Jan 31, 2000
UAL common stock closes at 52-week low of 56 7/8 as fuel prices rise and company faces the prospect of higher post-ESOP labor costs.

Feb 16, 2000
United offers industry's first Boeing 777 service between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii, with nonstop service between San Francisco and Maui.

Feb 23, 2000
United and buy.com launch a jointly owned full-service web site called buytravel.com, marking the first time United's discounted E-fares are available on an Internet web site other than http://www.ual.com/.



 

March 13, 2000
United completes installation of Economy PlusSM on its fleet.
 
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March 26, 2000
The Austrian Airlines Group joins Star Alliance, to be followed by Singapore Airlines April 7 and Mexicana on July 1.




April 2000
Two of United’s computer systems - SkyPath and the Aircraft Scheduling Automation Project (ASAP) - are archived in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
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April 12, 2000
After five years and nine months, ESOP investment period ends for most U.S. employees, except for mechanics, whose investment period ends July 12. Also today, the pilots' contract becomes amendable.

April 13, 2000
United puts its name on the Internet by changing the company's web address from 
 www.united.com to  united.com.






April 17, 2000
United's innovative E-TicketSM technology, which the company has sold to 14 airlines worldwide, is recognized as industry leading. It becomes part of the Smithsonian Permanent Research Collection on Information Technology at the National Museum of American History.
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April 26, 2000
Office and clerical employees decline representation by the International Association of Machinists (IAM).

May 1, 2000
United supports U.S. government's decision to begin lifting slot controls established at O'Hare International Airport in the 1960s. Instead of being restricted in its number of takeoffs and landings per day, United now can establish it's own schedule at its largest hub.

May 4, 2000
U.S. FAA grants United the industry's first authority for 207-minute extended range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) for its Boeing 777-200B aircraft operating across the North Pacific.

May 18, 2000
* United declares a cash dividend on common stock and ESOP preferred stock, the first in a dividend program approved by UAL shareholders in November 1999.
* United takes delivery of a Boeing 777-222, bringing the company's total fleet to 600 aircraft – the most in its history.

May 22, 2000
United reduces its summer flight schedule to minimize the impact of crew shortages. As situation worsens, due to ATC congestion and poor weather, the company eliminates nearly 7,000 flights from its schedule through September, cancels many other flights and increases block and ground time.

May 24, 2000
Company announces plan to acquire US Airways, subject to U.S. government approval.

June 8, 2000
United introduces nonstop service between San Francisco and Frankfurt.

June 14, 2000
United and Air Canada launch the industry's first true interline electronic ticketing service, enabling customers to use a single electronic ticket to travel on more than one airline.

June 15, 2000
United becomes the first major U.S. airline to offer free headsets to customers in all classes of service on U.S. domestic flights that are video-equipped.



June 28, 2000
United completes deployment of 463 automatic gate readers throughout North America and in Japan, a project that began in 1998.
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Aug. 16, 2000
* United launches full-page newspaper ads in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, apologizing for the pain its labor issues and flight cancellations have caused customers.
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The Society of American Travel Writers names United's HEMISPHERES inflight magazine the "Best Monthly Travel Magazine" in the United States.
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Aug. 22, 2000
As part of its effort to retire its older aircraft, United exercises options placed in 1998 for 12 narrowbody Airbus aircraft. The six A319s and six A320s are scheduled for delivery in 2002.

Aug. 28, 2000
United launches its Customer Advocate Center (CAC) to help reaccommodate customers whose flights are delayed or canceled. The CAC proactively rebooks customers on alternate flights, often before customers are even aware of a problem.

Sept. 11, 2000
Air Line Pilots Association's (ALPA) Master Executive Council endorses tentative pilot contract, ending a summer marred by schedule disruptions and flight cancellations.

Sept. 18, 2000
United announces plans to retire remaining DC-10 aircraft sooner than previously planned to improve operational reliability and because all-cargo service has not been able to sustain profitability. Freighter DC-10s will retire Dec. 24, while passenger aircraft will retire Feb. 15, 2001.

Sept. 28, 2000
United becomes only U.S. airline to win an AVION award for best overall inflight entertainment, awarded by the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA).

Oct. 23, 2000
United announces testing of self-service check-in kiosks in Chicago and San Diego, to be introduced officially in March 2001 as United EasyCheck-inSM.

Oct. 25, 2000
UAL Corp. creates United New Ventures. Its United NetWorks unit will grow united.com and related wireless initiatives and frequent flier program partnerships. The United NetVentures unit will support and grow Internet business ventures, such as Orbitz and Hotwire.

Nov. 13, 2000
United Networks enhances its United UpdateSM proactive paging service with the industry's first wireless booking capability.






Dec. 1, 2000
United forms new fee-per-departure relationship with United Express carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines.
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Dec. 20, 2000
To save fuel and labor costs, United announces plan to accelerate the retirement of its Boeing 727-200 fleet. The company will retire 25 aircraft in 2001, almost a full year ahead of the previous schedule, and the remainder of its B727-200 fleet by the end of 2003.

Dec. 24, 2000
Citing reliability issues and unprofitability of its all-cargo service, company retires last DC-10 freighter from its fleet, ending the all-freighter service established in 1997.





Late December 2000
United and its new United NewVentures unit launch United SameDaySM, a new service offering door-to-door, same-day delivery of small-package shipments.

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January 2001
United consolidates its advertising with one agency - Fallon Worldwide - for cost savings and greater efficiency.



 

Jan 25, 2001
United establishes "Easy" as the brand name for new products and services designed to make air travel easier.
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Feb 15, 2001
To improve operational reliability, United retires last DC-10 from its passenger fleet, ending its 29 years of DC-10 service. The aircraft receives a water salute, a ceremony derived from the maritime tradition of saluting vessels arriving at, or departing from, a harbor on special occasions.
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March 1, 2001
United officially introduces United EasyCheck-inSM kiosks at airports, a concept it began testing in October 2000. The kiosks enable U.S. United E-TicketSM customers to obtain boarding passes, print electronic ticket receipts, change seat assignments, keep Mileage Plus accounts current and, at designated units, even check their bags. By November 2002, the company had deployed 336 of the units at 10 U.S. airports, and more than five million customers had used them.



March 18, 2001
The company introduces United EasyUpdateSM , significantly enhancing communication with its customers.
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April 1, 2001
* United launches daily nonstop service between New York Kennedy and Hong Kong. At 7,339 nautical miles, it is the longest nonstop passenger service in the world. Just five months later, on August 30, the company discontinues the service as a result of the weak Asian economy.
* The company inaugurates the first daily nonstop service between Chicago and Beijing and reinstates service to Delhi, India - part of the company's 'Round-the-World service that was launched in 1995 and suspended in 1999 due to the Asian economic recession.
 



April 6, 2001
United marks its 75th anniversary, tracing its beginnings back to Walter T. Varney's first contract air mail flight between Pasco, Wash., and Elko, Nev., on April 6, 1926. That flight was the true beginning of U.S. commercial air transportation and the birth of United Airlines.
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April 26, 2001
United announces plans to launch a business jet subsidiary. Later named "Avolar," the venture places aircraft orders, but ultimately falls victim to the economic downturn resulting from the Sepember. 11 tragedy and folds in March 2002.

June 1, 2001
United inaugurates its first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight from Denver with seasonal service to Frankfurt, Germany.

June 4, 2001
The Orbitz online travel site opens for business, offering competition for Travelocity and Expedia. United is a co-founder of the venture, along with four other major carriers.

June 21, 2001
Severe hailstorm in Denver damages all 35 United aircraft on the ground at the time, taking some out of service for a week or more.

July 2001
The company launches United EasyCheck-inSM at Chicago O'Hare, enabling U.S. domestic
E-TicketSM  customers to check themselves in at a self-service kiosk and receive a boarding pass in less than 60 seconds.

July 18, 2001
UAL Corp. reports a second quarter net loss of $292 million, compared to earnings of $347 million in the same period a year earlier. The company attributes the dramatic drop to weak economy and its impact on business travel demand in the U.S. and Asia, as well as higher labor costs.

July 26, 2001
After cooperating in the making of the film "Rush Hour 2," United premiers the movie on its flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong prior to its opening in theaters in August.

July 30, 2001
UAL Corp. and US Airways Group, Inc. terminate their merger agreement after the proposal fails to receive U.S. government approval.

Aug. 7, 2001
The U.S. DOT grants United the right to provide code-share service to Vietnam with Star Alliance members All Nippon Airways and Thai Airways – the first U.S. airline service to the country since the end of the Vietnam War. Service begins in November.






Sept. 11, 2001
United loses 16 crew members, two employee travelers and 93 passengers when terrorists crash Flight 175 into the World Trade Center and Flight 93 into the ground near Shanksville, Penn. 
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Sept. 19, 2001
United announces the furlough of 20,000 employees – the largest such action in the company's history – due to the airline's serious financial situation.






Sept. 30, 2001
United wins its second consecutive award for "Best Inflight Entertainment Overall" at the World Airline Entertainment Association's AVION Awards.
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Oct. 3, 2001
United announces the end of its United Shuttle branded operations effective with the November schedule change. Due to the dramatic drop in demand and new longer turn times associated with additional security measures, the service introduced October 1, 1994, as "Shuttle by United" no longer can fulfill is mission as a low-cost, high-utilization operation.





Oct. 28, 2001
Amid growing concerns about United's financial problems and labor issues, Jim Goodwin resigns as chairman and chief executive officer and is succeeded by UAL board member John W. Creighton.
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Oct. 30, 2001
To reduce costs associated with multiple fleets, United retires its Boeing 727-200 and B737-200 fleets. The change leaves United with five families of aircraft: B737-300/500, B747-400, B757/767, B777 and Airbus 319/320.

Nov. 19, 2001
To reduce capital spending, United restructures its aircraft delivery program with Boeing and Airbus, deferring deliveries of new aircraft for 2002 and 2003 from the 67 originally planned to only 24.

December 2001
UAL Corp. business jet subsidiary Avolar opens for business, selling fractional shares of business aircraft to customers, but closes its doors in March 2002 – a victim of the economic downturn.

Dec. 18, 2001
United introduces interline electronic ticketing with Northwest, adding to its ability to offer E-TicketSM service with Air Canada and Continental.





Dec. 19, 2001
UAL Corp. relaunches United New Ventures under the name United Loyalty Services (ULS). ULS will focus on expanding the profitable non-core marketing business of UAL and building customer loyalty for United via loyalty programs, travel distribution, direct-to-customer services and media.
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Dec. 20, 2001
The U.S. Department of Justice determines that United's application to add bmi british midland to its existing antitrust immunity with Lufthansa, SAS and Austrian Group poses no risk to competition. In July 2002, United and bmi expand their codeshare operations.

Dec. 31, 2001
United ends the year with a record loss of $2.1 billion, including a fourth-quarter net loss of $308 million.

January 2002
U.S. President George bush establishes a Presidential Emergency Board to resolve contract issues between United and IAM District 141M, representing the company's mechanics. United accepts the board's recommendations, the IAM rejects them, but the two sides reach agreement Feb. 19.

Jan. 28, 2002
Chairman and CEO Jack Creighton restructures his officer corps, putting President Rono Dutta in charge of a Strategic Initiatives Group to develop a revenue and cost structure that ensures long-term profitable growth.






Feb. 11, 2002
United opens a new cargo facility at Los Angeles International Airport.
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Feb. 28, 2002
United closes four Reservations Centers in California and one in Rockford, Ill., furloughing nearly 900 employees.

April 2002
United restores 127 daily flights to its schedule in anticipation of stronger travel demand.

April 4, 2002

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation grants conditional approval to United's application to add bmi british midland to its existing antitrust immunity with Lufthansa, SAS and Austrian Group.  The immunity does not go into effect until the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom enter into an Open Skies agreement.






May 2002
* United reports its best operational performance in history, canceling just .44 percent of its nearly 55,000 scheduled departures and operating nearly 76 percent of its departures on-time or early. The company also has its lowest-ever number of maintenance delays and cancellation.
* United names a Boeing 777 (#2825) The Spirit of United in memory of the 18 employees lost during the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001.
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June 18, 2002
United announces wage cuts for officers and U.S.-based management and salaried employees as part of the company's financial recovery plan, subject to pilot participation.

June 20, 2002
The UAL board and the MEC of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) approve the pilot portion of United's recovery plan, subject to pilots' ratification and contingent on other employee groups' participation in wage cuts.

June 25, 2002
United files with the Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) for $1.8 billion in federal loan guarantees.

July 2002
* The company moves forward with several security measures by starting the installation of the industry's first "fortress" cockpit doors, pushing for government approval to arm pilots with non-lethal Taser weapons to disable attackers and planning a test of the industry's first cabin surveillance system.
* Star Alliance approves membership of three new carriers, to be added during the next nine to 18 months – LOT Polish Airways, Spaniar of Spain and Korea's Asiana.

July 19, 2002
In its traditionally strong second quarter, UAL Corp. reports a $392 million net loss, surpassing its $292 million net loss in the second quarter of 2001.

July 24, 2002
United and US Airways sign a codeshare agreement, which receives U.S. government approval October 2. The carriers hope to obtain some of the revenue benefits of their previously announced merger plan that was abandoned in July 2001 due to lack of approval from the U.S. government and lack of support from employees.

Aug. 8, 2002
United Cargo launches a small-package international express service, Global SP, that provides the highest freight boarding priority, shortened acceptance and recovery times (within the United States) and 100 percent guaranteed on-time delivery.

Aug. 14, 2002
United announces intensified recovery effort, to include broader, deeper and longer-term labor cost savings in order to make the company's cost structure competitive and to obtain federal loan guarantees. Company establishes 30-day deadline for obtaining wage concessions from employees.

Aug. 29, 2002
Company meets with union leaders and presents its proposal for a cost savings target of $2.5 billion annually over the next six years, including $1.5 billion in annual labor cost savings.






Sept. 2, 2002
UAL Corp. appoints Glenn F. Tilton as chairman, president and chief executive officer, succeeding Jack Creighton upon his retirement. President Rono Dutta and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Andy Studdert step down.

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Sept. 9, 2002
The company reports it moved into first place in on-time arrivals for July, based on statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The company first marks a dramatic turnaround from a year earlier, when United was in last place.



Sept. 11, 2002
United marks the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on America, in which the company lost two flights carrying 18 employees and 93 customers.

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Sept. 19, 2002
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) - a project United has been involved in since 1996 - passes an important milestone when the telescope assembly for SOFIA arrives in Texas from Germany.
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Sept. 25, 2002
A coalition of United's unions presents the company with an alternate framework for cost savings. Over the next two months, the company negotiates with the unions to achieve a framework that will allow the airline to obtain a loan guarantee from the U.S. government and avoid bankruptcy.

Oct. 21, 2002
In response to market conditions, United announces cost-cutting in its U.S. operations that will save approximately $100 million annually. The initiatives, to begin later in the year and in January 2003, include closing its San Francisco, Indianapolis and Long Beach reservations centers, shutting down one of three lines of Boeing 757 maintenance at the Indianapolis Maintenance Center and converting five stations to United Express (Eugene and Medford, Ore.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and White Plaines and Syracuse, N.Y.). Two days later, the company announces in January it will close four international stations: Caracas, Venezuela; Santiago, Chile; Milan, Italy; and Dusseldorf, Germany.

Oct. 23, 2002
United files an updated business plan with the Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) in hopes of receiving $1.8 billion in federal loan guarantees. The plan includes tentative agreement by the unions to participate in labor cost reductions totaling $5.8 billion over the next five-and-one-half years.

Oct. 29, 2002
United inaugurates service between Washington (Dulles) and both Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The company is the only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service between the U.S. capital and South America.






November 2002
Pace Communications marks its 10th anniversary of publishing HEMISPHERES, United’s inflight magazine.

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Nov. 1, 2002
United and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reach tentative agreement on labor cost savings needed for the company's financial recovery plan. Members ratify the agreement Nov. 19.

Nov. 3, 2002
United announces tentative agreement with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) on labor cost savings needed for the company's financial recovery plan. TWU members ratify the agreement Nov. 10.

Nov. 5, 2002
* As part of United's application to the Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) for $1.8 billion in federal loan guarantees, a team of 17 company officers and directors present to the ATSB the company's plan for achieving non-labor profit improvements of $1.4 billion annually and a process for developing an additional $400 million in savings.


* United announces an agreement in principle with Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) to restructure approximately $500 million in debt obligations due in November and December, buying time for the company as it awaits word from the ATSB on its application for a federal loan guarantee.

Nov. 8, 2002
United announces need to reduce its flight attendant work force by an additional 2,700 beginning January 31, 2003, while other divisions continue reviewing their manpower requirements for 2003 and beyond.

Nov. 10, 2002 
Company announces tentative agreement with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) on labor cost savings needed for the company's financial recovery plan. Members ratify the agreement November 30.

Nov. 14, 2002
United establishes enhanced cooperation with Lufthansa in the North Atlantic market, including shared revenues on North Atlantic flights, alignment of North Atlantic fares and sales strategies and closer cooperation on scheduling, customer service and marketing to generate additional revenue.

Nov. 18, 2002
Senior officers approve wage reductions for salaried and management employees, including officers, as part of United's financial recovery plan. Company announces the recovery plan will feature stock options for all employees.

Nov. 20, 2002
Company and IAM reach tentative agreement on wage reductions.

Nov. 28, 2002
United's IAM-represented public contact, ramp, food service and security employees ratify their tentative wage reduction agreement, as do PAFCA-represented flight dispatchers, but mechanics represented by IAM141M vote "no." The company and IAM 141M leaders reach a new tentative agreement December 2, but the ATSB declines United's loan application before a ratification vote can be conducted.

Dec. 2, 2002
United announces that it will use the grace periods on certain debt obligations due today, hoping it will receive the ATSB loan guarantee in time to make payments.

Dec. 3, 2002
Company announces planned 18 percent reduction in officer group and a reduction in pilot employment levels by 220 in January and 132 in February.

Dec. 4, 2002
ATSB declines United's loan application, citing unrealistic revenue forecasts, but leaves open the possibility it will consider an improved application at a later date.

Dec. 9, 2002
* United announces immediate pay cuts for salaried and management employees, including officers, effective mid-December.
* UAL Corp. files for Chapter 11 reorganization; promises "business as usual" as the company develops a plan to address is existing debt, capital and cost structures.

Dec. 10, 2002
Fiduciary for United's 401(k) and Pilot Directed Account Plan (PDAP) retirement plans announces it has completed the sale of all UAL stock in those plans.

Dec. 12, 2002
Company presents to unions its short- and long-term business plan, laying the groundwork for emerging successfully from Chapter 11. United must achieve labor cost reductions to satisfy covenants of the debtor-in-possession financing it has obtained in order to continue operations.

Dec. 18, 2002
United announces need to furlough an addition 616 employees represented by IAM 141M, due to reduced workloads.

Dec. 19, 2002 
Glenn Tilton establishes new leadership team with four executive vice presidents overseeing the areas of operations (Pete McDonald), strategy (Doug Hacker), finance (Jake Brace) and customer (to be named).

Dec. 27, 2002
United announces new tentative agreements with the leadership of ALPA, AFA, PAFCA and the TWU on significant, interim wage reductions, subject to a ratification vote by the represented employees by January 8. There is no agreement with IAM leadership. United files a motion in court, asking the judge to allow it to impose wage reductions on IAM employees if other employee groups ratify their reductions. All would take effect January 1.

 

Era 1 (1910-1925)

Era 6 (1959-1969)

Era 2 (1926-1933)

Era 7 (1970-1989)

Era 3 (1934-1940)

Era 8 (1990-1993)

Era 4 (1941-1945)

Era 9 (1994-1999)

Era 5 (1946-1958)

 




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