Passengers on Flight 854 Get Hollywood Treatment

Chicago – It’s a bird. It’s a plane...No, it’s Oscar on a United Boeing 777! That’s why all eyes are on the coveted batch of Oscar statuettes flying from Chicago to Los Angeles on this morning’s “Flight of the Oscars” with United Airlines. One of the 13 ½ -inch tall awards will ride in the passenger cabin aboard flight 854 before the precious cargo is handed over to Academy officials at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), then presented at the 77th Annual Academy Awards ceremony on Feb. 27.

“United is honored to be the preferred airline for this world-famous event,” said Dennis Cary, United’s senior vice president of Marketing. “Our award-winning customer service is the perfect fit for the entertainment industry and its fans.”

United’s fifth annual “Flight of the Oscars” is a special tradition and an opportunity for United to give customers on this flight a taste of Hollywood flair:

• One Oscar statuette will greet and dazzle onboard customers, chaperoned by a representative from his maker, Chicago-based R.S. Owens;
• All customers aboard flight 854 will receive a commemorative 77th Annual Academy Awards poster when they deplane in Los Angeles;
• In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, online jeweler ICE.com will give away three 14-karat diamond heart pendants, each valued at $195, to two lucky United Economy Class passengers and one United Business Class passenger. (Editors’ note: United program only, not affiliated with the Academy)
• First-class customers will receive gift bags, donated by Madison & Mulholland, (www.madisonandmulholland.com), a new luxury lifestyle company launched by Buzz Bag co-founder Jane Ubell-Meyer. (Editors’ note: United program only, not affiliated with the Academy) United’s goodie bags are intended to surprise and delight customers on special occasions.  Each bag is a treat and contains more than $1,000 worth of gifts, including:
  • “Curiously noir” Altoids, limited edition (with diamond)
  • Luggage Express gift certificate
  • Sircuitskin skincare
  • St. Tropez self tanning kit
  • “Love this Life” t-shirt
  • P8N8 skincare
  • Warren Tricomi hair brush
  • Gerge gift certificate for a diamond watch
  • Cake skincare
  • Elizabeth Grant skincare
  • Aperion Audio system gift certificate
  • Cold Stone Creamery gift certificate
  • Crest Premium Whitestrips
  • Yonka-Paris skincare
  • Pb Travel accessories
  • Mackage leather pouches
    
• United employees and customers onboard will sport “Oscar Rocks!” buttons, provided by the Academy; and
• The Boeing 777 “Flight of the Oscars” aircraft will bear United’s new livery and a 4-foot high, 20-inch-wide Oscar decal on both sides of the fuselage. The image was applied by United Services technicians.

Today’s flight arrives at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 10:01 a.m. (PST) in terminal seven, gate 72. At LAX, Academy President Frank Pierson will personally welcome the Oscars to Los Angeles.

About United

United Airlines (OTCBB: UALAQ.OB) is the world’s second largest airline, operating more than 3,500 flights a day on United, United Express and Ted to more than 200 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With key global air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America, United is the largest international carrier based in the United States.* United is also a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides connections for our customers to more than 700 destinations in more than 130 countries worldwide. United’s nearly 62,000 employees reside in every U.S. state and in many countries around the world. News releases and other information about United can be found at the company’s Web site at united.com.

* Measured by revenue passenger miles as reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation for 12 months ending September 2004, the most recent comparison data available.

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