19 Aug 2013
Three-cabin 777s to replace 747-400s from April 2014
United Airlines has announced that it will introduce Boeing 777 aircraft to replace Boeing 747-400s on its trans-Pacific services from Sydney and Melbourne to San Francisco and Los Angeles, effective April 1, 2014 (eastbound), subject to government approval.
The 777 has a total of 269 seats in three cabins - eight in Global First, 40 in BusinessFirst and 221 in Economy, including 117 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space. Both Global First and BusinessFirst feature flat-bed seats, along with a wide range of premium-cabin services and amenities. All seats on the 777 feature personal monitors delivering a multi-channel Audio/Video on Demand inflight entertainment system, and all seats have access to power outlets. United is outfitting aircraft, including the 747-400 and 777, with global satellite Wi-Fi, offering inflight connectivity on long-haul international flights.
"The 777 will be the ideal aircraft for our Australia routes in terms of both capacity and customer amenities," said James Mueller, United's vice president Atlantic & Pacific sales. "Our trans-Pacific services from Sydney and Melbourne are an important part of United's global route network, and we look forward to offering our customers a full range of inflight products and services on the 777."
United operates daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to both its San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport hubs, from where it offers customers more than 150 connecting flights daily to over 90 U.S. destinations. United also operates a twice-weekly service from Cairns to Guam.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,341 flights a day to more than 360 airports across six continents. In 2012, United and United Express carried more passenger traffic than any other airline in the world and operated nearly two million flights carrying 140 million customers. United is investing in upgrading its onboard products and now offers more flat-bed seats in its premium cabins and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any airline in North America. In 2013, United became the first U.S.-based international carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi on long-haul overseas routes. The airline also features DIRECTV® on 200 aircraft, offering customers more live television access than any other airline in the world.
United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has made large-scale investments in its fleet. In 2013, United will continue to modernize its fleet by taking delivery of more than two dozen new Boeing aircraft. The company expanded its industry-leading global route network in 2012, launching nine new international and 18 new domestic routes. Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel for 2012, and readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for nine consecutive years. According to the 4th annual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey published by IdeaWorksCompany in May 2013, United has the most saver-style award-seat availability among the largest U.S. global airlines. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 195 countries via 28 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.
For further information, please contact:
Bethany Regattieri
ICON International Communications
Ph: 02 8235 7600
