Inside these posts: United Airlines

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Vote on recall of head of United pilot union delayed

A vote to recall the head of United Airlines’ pilots union has been postponed until Thursday, sources told the Tribune. Get the full story »

Airlines may be easing up on fare hikes

Travelers check in at at O'Hare International Airport, Sept. 14, 2010. (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune)

There are some signs that airlines are starting to take their foot off the pedal after pushing through more than six major fare increases in the first three months of the year.

March may have been a turning point. A $10 fare increase launched March 9 by American Airlines and two other $10 round-trip fare hikes launched by United Airlines were rolled back after some competitors declined to push their prices higher. And some ticket prices showed sharp price drops in the second half of the month. Get the full story »

United, Continental cutting capacity to Japan

United and Continental airlines are reducing flights between the U.S. and Japan because of a drop in demand since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Get the full story »

United Airlines to advertise on Wrigley rooftop

Budweiser's ad on a Wrigley Field rooftop on Waveland Ave. is removed in September of 2008 to make way for a Horseshoe Casino ad, which will soon be replaced by one for United. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)

The highly visible rooftop sign across the street from Wrigley Field will have a new advertiser this season.

The Cubs announced Monday that United Airlines has bought the rights to advertise on the rooftop, which is beyond the left-field bleachers on Waveland Avenue. The Horseshoe Casino in Indiana had advertised on the rooftop the last few seasons. Before that, the rooftop was painted red and sported the Budweiser logo for many years. Get the full story »

Continental stops Cairo service plan

Continental Airlines, recently bought by United Airlines to form United Continental Holdings Inc , has scrapped plans to launch new service to Cairo, because of declining travel demand to Egypt, which is grappling with political unrest.

Continental said it has “indefinitely postponed” the planned service from Newark, New Jersey, to Cairo, which was to have begun on May 18. Get the full story »

First United 747 debuts in new paint scheme

The new paint scheme. (Image via United)

United Airlines released the first pictures Thursday of its largest jet, the Boeing 747-400, repainted with the new logo and color scheme adopted by the Chicago-based carrier as part of its 2010 merger with Continental Airlines.

With the makeover of the 374-seat jumbo jet, United has now painted one of each of its mainline aircraft types in its new livery, which combines the United brand in a new sans serif font across the fuselage with Continental’s familiar globe on the tail.

The world’s largest airline said it has repainted 309 mainline and regional aircraft, more than 20 percent of its total fleet, since the Oct. 1 tie-up of the two carriers. Get the full story »

United returning to normal after grounding 757s

United Airlines operations are returning to normal after the carrier voluntarily grounded its fleet of 96 Boeing 757s Tuesday to ensure the planes’ air-data computer software complied with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive.

The Chicago-based carrier was able to quickly carry out the software checks needed to meet federal guidelines, and most of the aircraft were back in service by mid-day Wednesday. Get the full story »

Free Facebook access on flights in February

From PC Magazine | This month, a cross-country flight won’t be a reason to temporarily suspend a poke war. Seven airlines will offer free access to Facebook via their Wi-Fi networks for the month of February.

The no-cost service will be available through a partnership between Gogo Inflight Internet and Ford, and will be offered on North American flights of Virgin America, AirTran, US Airways, American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, Gogo said in a blog post. Get the full story>>

United pilot duped AMA with fake M.D. claim

William Hamman watches data on a computer as he supervises doctors during a cardiology simulation. (AP/Gregory Smith)

He seemed like Superman, able to guide jumbo jets through perilous skies and tiny tubes through blocked arteries. As a cardiologist and United Airlines captain, William Hamman taught doctors and pilots ways to keep hearts and planes from crashing.

He shared millions in grants, had university and hospital posts, and bragged of work for prestigious medical groups. An Associated Press story featured him leading a teamwork training session at an American College of Cardiology convention last spring.

But it turns out Hamman isn’t a cardiologist or even a doctor. The AP found he had no medical residency, fellowship, doctoral degree or the 15 years of clinical experience he claimed. He attended medical school for a few years but withdrew and didn’t graduate. Get the full story »

United postpones first 787 service

With another delay to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner looming, United Airlines has postponed launching service from Houston to Auckland, New Zealand, the first North American flight slated to feature the ground-breaking jet

The new United had planned to launch those flights on Nov. 16, 2011, to be flown initially under the brand of merger partner Continental Airlines, said Julie King, spokeswoman for the Chicago-based carrier. But with uncertainty shrouding the 787’s commercial debut, the world’s largest airline decided to push back its New Zealand expansion effort to 2012. Get the full story »

Tilton expects U.S. airlines to earn $4B in 2010

U.S. airlines are projected to post $4 billion in profits for 2010, the chairman of the newly formed United Continental Holdings said Wednesday.

Speaking to an industry group in Washington, D.C., Glenn Tilton said the United Continental balance sheet needs a ”tremendous amount of deleveraging” and that it may be time to focus on making balance sheets more resilient.

The carrier has about $9 billion in cash. Get the full story »

Continental moving to United’s O’Hare terminal next week

Just in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel season, Continental Airlines is moving its ticketing and check-in counters to the neighboring terminal operated by corporate sibling United Airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Effective Tuesday, Nov. 16, Continental passengers will check in at Continental-branded counters in O’Hare’s Terminal 1, rather than Terminal 2, where the Houston-based carrier had been located.

The move is one of the first changes visible to travelers as the two carriers begin to combine operations following the Oct. 1 close of their merger, which created the world’s largest airline. Both carriers are wholly owned subsidiaries of United Continental Holdings Inc., their Chicago-based corporate parent. Get the full story »

United unveils its Oprah plane

United Airline's plane painted for Oprah Winfrey's final season. (United Airlines)

Look up in the sky. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s Oprah. Actually, it’s a plane sporting Oprah Winfrey’s logo with the familiar big looping “O.”

On Thursday, United Airlines unveiled a newly painted plane at O’Hare International Airport commemorating the 25th and final season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The Boeing 757’s tail is blue with Winfrey’s signature, with the words “The Farewell Season” painted on the fuselage. Get the full story »

Continental flight attendants reject labor deal

Flight attendants for Continental Airlines have rejected a proposed contract. Their union says it’s because the agreement did not give them back enough of the concessions they made in earlier contracts. Get the full story »

United wins approval to launch Shanghai flights

United Airlines said Wednesday it had gained federal approval to begin daily flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai in little more time than it takes to fly between the two cities.

The speedy review of United’s request, completed a day after the Chicago carrier asked for permission to launch the new China service next year, is in contrast to the lengthy lobbying battles over access to China’s booming market that played out during the 1990s and in the 2000s.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation had needed just six days to approve a request by American Airlines to fly from Los Angeles to Shanghai. Get the full story »