| Chicago, June 11, 2009 – UAL Corporation (NASDAQ: UAUA), the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, held its annual shareholder meeting today, where it discussed its plan to address the current economic challenges and position the company for success going forward. Shareholders also re-elected each of its directors for a one-year term at UAL’s 2009 Annual Meeting.
“We are doing the work to compete in the current environment and put United on a path to profitability,” said Glenn F. Tilton, chairman, president and chief executive officer of UAL Corporation and United Air Lines, Inc. “By electing our directors to another term, our shareholders have endorsed the progress we are making.”
Kathryn Mikells, United’s chief financial officer, discussed the steps United is taking to further reduce costs and raise liquidity, ensuring United has the financial capacity needed to manage the challenges the industry faces.
John Tague, executive vice president and chief operating officer, discussed the work United is doing to improve every facet of the customer experience from the on-time performance and cleanliness of its flights to the workability of the products on board. This work has resulted in a 10 percent improvement in the satisfaction ratings of United’s most loyal customers and $18 million in payouts to front-line employees for delivering top on-time performance for the first five months of the year.
Each of the 10 directors standing for election by the common stockholders of the company was re-elected:
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Richard J. Almeida - retired chairman and chief executive officer of Heller Financial, Inc.
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Mary K. Bush - president of Bush International, a global consulting firm
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W. James Farrell - retired chairman and chief executive officer of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., an engineering components manufacturer
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Walter Isaacson - president and chief executive officer of the Aspen Institute, an international education and leadership organization; former chairman and chief executive officer of CNN
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Robert D. Krebs - retired chairman and chief executive officer of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation
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Robert S. Miller - executive chairman of Delphi Corporation, a supplier of mobile electronics and transportation systems; former non-executive chairman of the board of Federal Mogul Corporation, an auto parts supplier, and former chairman and chief executive officer of Bethlehem Steel Corporation
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James J. O’Connor - retired chairman and chief executive officer of Unicom Corporation, a holding company, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison Company
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Glenn F. Tilton - chairman, president and chief executive officer of UAL Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, United Air Lines, Inc.; former vice chairman of ChevronTexaco Corporation; former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Texaco, Inc.
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David J. Vitale - former senior advisor to the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public School system and the former chief administrative officer of the Chicago Public School system; former president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Board of Trade
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John H. Walker - chief executive officer of Global Brass and Copper and the former chief executive officer and president of the Boler Company, a transportation manufacturer; former chief executive officer, former president and chief operating officer of Weirton Steel Corporation
In addition, holders of two classes of preferred stock – the Class Pilot MEC Junior Preferred Stock and the Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock – elected Captain Stephen A. Wallach and Stephen R. Canale as UAL directors. Mr. Wallach is Master Chairman of United Airlines ALPA-MEC (Air Line Pilots Association – Master Executive Council) and Captain, United Boeing 747-400; Mr. Canale is Retired President and Directing General Chairman of the IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) District Lodge 141.
Final voting tallies will be included in the company’s next quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About United
United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) operates over 3,100* flights a day on United and United Express 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 one of the largest international carriers based in the United States. United also is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides connections for our customers to 912 destinations in 159 countries worldwide. United's 48,500 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.
*Based on United's forward-looking flight schedule for April 1, 2009 to April 1, 2010.
Safe HarborStatement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements included in this investor update are forward-looking and thus reflect our current expectations and beliefs with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be subject to many risks and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects,” “will,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “indicates,” “believes,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Additionally, forward-looking statements include statements that do not relate solely to historical facts, such as statements which identify uncertainties or trends, discuss the possible future effects of current known trends or uncertainties, or which indicate that the future effects of known trends or uncertainties cannot be predicted, guaranteed or assured. All forward-looking statements in this report are based upon information available to us on the date of this report. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. Our actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors including, without limitation, the following: our ability to comply with the terms of our Amended Credit Facility and other financing arrangements; the cost and availability of financing; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity; our ability to execute our operational plans; our ability to realize benefits from our resource optimization efforts and cost reduction initiatives; our ability to utilize our net operating losses; our ability to attract, motivate and/or retain key employees; our ability to attract and retain customers; demand for transportation in the markets in which we operate; general economic conditions (including interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, investment or credit market conditions, crude oil prices, costs of aviation fuel and refining capacity in relevant markets); our ability to cost-effectively hedge against increases in the price of aviation fuel; any potential realized or unrealized gains or losses related to fuel or currency hedging programs; the effects of any hostilities, act of war or terrorist attack; the ability of other air carriers with whom we have alliances or partnerships to provide the services contemplated by the respective arrangements with such carriers; the costs and availability of aircraft insurance; the costs associated with security measures and practices; labor costs; industry consolidation; competitive pressures on pricing and on demand; capacity decisions of United and/or our competitors; U.S. or foreign governmental legislation, regulation and other actions (including open skies agreements); our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations; any disruptions to operations due to any potential actions by our labor groups; weather conditions; and other risks and uncertainties set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Item 1A. of the 2008 Annual Report, as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in the reports we file with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Consequently, forward- looking statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by UAL or United that such matters will be realized.
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