United Airlines today filed an application with the U.S. Department of
Transportation for the authority to launch daily, nonstop service between
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and the new Baiyun International
Airport (CAN) in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, in the People’s Republic
of China. United has the opportunity to apply for the right to fly daily
between San Francisco and Guangzhou as part of a recent historic aviation
agreement between the governments of the People’s Republic of China and
the United States. If approved, United intends to begin San Francisco-
Guangzhou service using Boeing 777 aircraft via Tokyo in March 2005 and
upgrade it to nonstop Boeing 747 service in 2006.
“Customer demand for nonstop service between the United States and China
continues to rise,” said Graham Atkinson, senior vice president of
United’s worldwide sales and alliances. “We look forward to providing this
substantial, new service to connect San Francisco and Guangzhou, two
important business and leisure travel destinations. 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.”

“We are encouraged by United Airlines’ ongoing commitment to serve China
because it is one of the most important destinations for San Francisco
travelers,” said John Martin, airport director, San Francisco
International Airport. “If approved, United’s new flight to Guangzhou will
add great value for passengers, the airline and the airport.”

United currently serves 45 destinations across the United States nonstop
from its San Francisco hub. With 13 international destinations, United
flies to more international cities from San Francisco than any other
airline, with daily, nonstop service to seven Asia-Pacific destinations—
Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Osaka, Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney; three cities
in Europe—Frankfurt, London and Paris; and to Mexico City, Calgary and
Vancouver in North America. United will expand this international service
in December to become the first U.S. carrier to fly to Vietnam in close to
30 years. Also in December, Ted will begin flying daily from San Francisco
to Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo, and United will fly weekly to
Cancun in Mexico.

United is the only U.S. airline with nonstop service from the U.S. to
China, with three daily, nonstop flights—San Francisco-Beijing, San
Francisco-Shanghai, and Chicago-Beijing. United on October 31, 2004, will
begin daily nonstop service between Chicago and Shanghai. The airline in
April became the only U.S. carrier to open a sales office in Guangzhou.

United offers more flights between the 50 United States and Asia Pacific
than any other airline. United currently serves 11 Asia-Pacific
destinations including Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Osaka,
Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, and Tokyo, and will fly to
Vietnam beginning in December. And, with the Star Alliance network, United
customers have access to even more Asia-Pacific markets, representing
virtually all points in the region.

In October 2003, United also began a partnership with Air China to expand
travel options for its customers in the fast-growing China-U.S. travel
market. For the two airlines’ customers, this partnership includes
frequent flier mileage accumulation and code sharing on 28 weekly
trans-Pacific flights, as well as to seven cities in China and 17 cities
in the United States.
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