United Airlines today announced that it 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.”

United serves 43 destinations across the United States nonstop from its
San Francisco hub. United also flies to more international destinations
from San Francisco than any other airline, with daily, nonstop service to
the Asia- Pacific destinations of Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai,
Sydney and Tokyo; Frankfurt, London and Paris in Europe; and Mexico City,
Calgary and Vancouver.

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.
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