United Airlines expands service between United States and China

United Airlines is adding a new, daily flight between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Beijing, China (PEK), effective June 10, 2004. Flights will be available for booking on February 21, 2004.

Earlier this month, United announced plans to begin a second daily nonstop flight between Tokyo and Honolulu, and in the previous month announced new, daily nonstop service between Chicago and Osaka. In June 2003, United also began flying to Seoul nonstop from San Francisco.

“Not only has United fully restored its pre-SARS schedule to Asia, but we are pleased to be adding substantial, new service in this market as well,” said Graham Atkinson, senior vice president - worldwide sales and alliances, United Airlines. “This expansion is in response to a steady rise in customer demand and builds on our leadership across the Pacific.”

“With such longstanding cultural and business ties to China - as well as convenient connections to the rest of the U.S. - San Francisco is a natural gateway for travel to China and East Asia.”

"We are thrilled at yet another sign of United Airlines' growing strength because China is one of the most important destinations for San Francisco,” said John L. Martin, Airport Director, San Francisco International Airport. “United's new flight to Beijing will add great value for passengers, the airline, and the airport.”

In October 2003, United also began a new partnership with Air China, in order to expand travel options for its customers in the fast-growing China-U.S. travel market. This new partnership includes codesharing on 26 weekly trans-Pacific flights, as well as to two cities in China and 17 cities in the U.S., frequent flier mileage accumulation and reciprocal lounge access for the two airlines' customers.

United will fly its San Francisco-Beijing route with a Boeing 777 aircraft configured with 10 seats in first class, 49 seats in business class and 194 seats in economy class. UA889 will begin service on June 10, 2004, while the return leg, UA888, will begin June 12, 2004.

United’s current service to China includes daily San Francisco- Shanghai service, Chicago-Beijing service and Tokyo-Beijing service. In order to accommodate the additional seven weekly frequencies between San Francisco and Beijing under its maximum allowed 21 weekly frequencies, United will discontinue its Tokyo-Beijing service effective June 12, 2004.