History of United Airlines facts for kids

United Airlines is one of the biggest airlines in the world! It has over 86,000 employees and more than 700 airplanes. The idea for United Airlines came from William E. Boeing, who brought together many smaller airlines and plane makers between 1928 and 1930 to create it.

History of United Airlines

How United Airlines Started

United Airlines was created by a flying pioneer named William E. Boeing. He started his airplane company in 1916. His company, Boeing Airplane Company, made the first international mail delivery by plane in 1919. Later, in 1928, he started United Aircraft Corp. This company then bought other airlines like Pacific Air Transport, Stout Air Services, Varney Air Lines, and National Air Transport. By bringing these companies together, United Air Lines, Inc. was officially formed on March 28, 1931. Because of its connection to Varney Air Lines, United Airlines says it's the oldest commercial airline in the United States!

Varney Air Lines was started by Walter Varney in Boise, Idaho. Varney's main pilot, Leon D. Cuddeback, flew the very first contract air mail flight on April 5, 1926. He flew a Swallow biplane from Boise to Pasco, Washington, carrying mail. Varney Airlines' first hangar was even part of the Boise Airport building until 2003!

By 1930, United Air Lines offered flights across the whole United States for both passengers and mail. These trips took about 27 hours one way. United also hired Ellen Church, a registered nurse, to help passengers. She is known as the first airline stewardess! In 1937, United hired the first airline dietitian, Ella Gertrude McMullen, in Chicago.

After some changes in government rules about airmail in 1934, companies that made airplanes could no longer own airlines. So, United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UATC) was split into three separate companies: United Aircraft (which made planes in the East), Boeing Airplane Company (which made planes in the West), and United Air Lines (the airline). William A. Patterson became the new president of United Air Lines and stayed in charge until 1963.

Growing into a National Airline

United Air Lines route map, 1940

United's first flight paths were based on old airmail routes. They went from New York City, through Chicago and Salt Lake City, to San Francisco. There were also routes along the West Coast. These early connections helped create United's main airport hubs in Chicago and San Francisco, and later in Denver and Washington, D.C. These are still important hubs for United today.

In 1933, United introduced the Boeing 247 airplane. This was a big deal because, for the first time, people could fly across the United States without stopping overnight or changing planes! A flight from Newark to San Francisco with eight stops took about 19 hours and cost $160, which would be like $2,868 today!

On October 10, 1933, a United Boeing 247 crashed near Chesterton, Indiana, killing seven people. Investigations showed that an explosion caused the crash. This was a very early case of a plane being sabotaged in commercial aviation.

During World War II, United helped the war effort. Their ground crews changed airplanes to be used as bombers, and they transported mail, supplies, and passengers. By 1945, United's 50 airplanes were flying over 13 hours a day, covering 100,000 miles daily! After the war, United benefited from new technologies, like cabin pressurization (which allowed planes to fly higher) and a big increase in people wanting to travel by air.

In 1954, United was the first airline to use flight simulators that had visual, sound, and motion effects for training pilots. These were the first modern simulators for training commercial pilots.

UAL DC-6 aircraft, similar to the plane bombed by Jack Graham in 1955

On November 1, 1955, United Airlines Flight 629 crashed while flying from Stapleton International Airport in Denver to Portland, Oregon. All 39 passengers and five crew members on board the Douglas DC-6B died. The crash was caused by a bomb.

In the late 1950s, three United planes were involved in mid-air collisions, meaning they crashed into other planes in the sky. Everyone on board both planes died in these accidents.

• On June 30, 1956, Flight 718 crashed with a Trans World Airlines plane over the Grand Canyon.
• On April 21, 1958, United Air Lines Flight 736 crashed in Nevada after hitting a United States Air Force fighter jet.
• On December 16, 1960, Flight 826 hit another plane over New York City.

These terrible accidents helped lead to the modern Air Traffic Control system we have today. Also, in 1958, United received its first Douglas DC-8, which was its first jet airplane!

On June 1, 1961, United merged with Capital Airlines. This made United the world's second-largest airline, after Aeroflot in the Soviet Union. This merger meant United started flying the British-made Vickers Viscount and French-made Sud Aviation Caravelle jets. United was the only American airline to use the Caravelle for regular passenger flights. In 1968, the company changed its structure, creating UAL Corporation with United Airlines as its main part.

In August 1970, United received its first Boeing 747s, using them for longer flights within the U.S. A year later, United and American Airlines were the first customers for the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, which became a very important plane for many airlines.

United Airlines is the only airline to have flown Executive One, which is the special name for a civilian flight carrying the U.S. president. On December 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon flew on a United DC-10 from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles. This was done to save fuel instead of using the usual Boeing 707 aircraft for Air Force One.

Airline Deregulation and Changes

The third DC-10 delivered to United in 1972.

United wanted to fly to more places overseas in the 1960s, but they didn't get permission until 1983, when they started flights to Tokyo from Portland, Oregon and Seattle. United supported the idea of "deregulation" because they felt that the old rules stopped them from growing and making money. After years of effort, the Airline Deregulation Act became law in 1978. This law changed how airlines operated, giving them more freedom.

Two planes at Portland International Airport in May 1973.

The 1970s were a tough time for the airline industry, including United, due to economic problems and the new deregulation law. Many changes happened at the top of United and its parent company, UAL Corp.

In May 1981, United launched its Mileage Plus program, which lets passengers earn points for flying. This was just a week after American Airlines started its AAdvantage program, which was the first modern frequent flyer program.

In 1982, United was the first airline to use the Boeing 767-200. Their order for 30 of these planes, along with 30 Boeing 727-200s, was the biggest commercial airplane order at that time, costing $1.2 billion.

In 1984, United became the first airline to serve all 50 U.S. states with commercial airports. They added flights to cities like Atlanta, Nashville, and Fargo.

In 1985, United bought the entire Pacific Division of the struggling Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), including their planes and flight crews, for $750 million. By late 1986, United flew to thirteen destinations in the Pacific, mostly from this purchase.

Employee Ownership and New Look

United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER with the Saul Bass logo at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the "Battleship Grey" livery, used from 1993 to 2004.

The decline of Pan American World Airways gave United more chances to grow. In 1991, United bought Pan Am's routes to London Heathrow Airport. However, after the Gulf War and with new low-cost airlines, United lost a lot of money in 1991 and 1992.

In 1994, United's pilots, mechanics, baggage handlers, and other employees agreed to own 55% of the company's stock. In return, they took a 15% to 25% cut in their salaries. This deal, called an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), made United the largest company in the world owned by its employees. United used this chance to create a low-cost airline called Shuttle by United to compete with other low-cost carriers.

United used its employee ownership in its advertisements, with slogans like "the employee-owners of United invite you to come fly the friendly skies." However, the financial results of the ESOP were mixed for different people.

During this time, United changed its airplane colors to a grey and blue design. Some people criticized it because it was hard to see at night.

Developments Around 2000

In 1989, United ordered the new Boeing 747-400. In 1993, United changed its look again, introducing the "Battleship Gray" design for its planes. In 1995, United was the first customer for the Boeing 777 and helped a lot with its design. In 1997, United helped start the Star Alliance, a group of airlines that work together, with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, and Thai Airways. That same year, United opened a new hub in the southwest U.S. at Los Angeles International Airport.

United planes parked at San Francisco International Airport, one of its main hubs. United is also one of the founding members of Star Alliance.

In 1997, a website called untied.com was created to share complaints about United's service. This showed how people were starting to use the internet to share their experiences with companies.

In 1998, Delta Air Lines and United started a partnership that allowed members of their frequent flyer programs to earn miles on both airlines and use each other's airport lounges. This partnership ended in 2003.

In May 2000, United announced plans to buy another airline, US Airways, for $11.6 billion. However, many groups and employees were against the deal. By 2001, the government decided the deal would reduce competition too much, and United withdrew its offer. The two airlines later formed a friendly partnership, and US Airways joined the Star Alliance.

May 2000 also saw a difficult disagreement between United and its pilots' union. The pilots wanted their pay to go back to what it was before they took cuts for the ESOP. Many pilots refused to work extra hours, which led to United having to cancel many flights during the busy summer season. Eventually, United's CEO, Jim Goodwin, offered the pilots a big pay increase to get them back to flying.

September 11 Attacks

During the September 11 attacks in 2001, two of the four planes that were hijacked belonged to United Airlines.

• One plane, United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767-222, was flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
• The other plane, United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757-222, crashed in rural Pennsylvania after the passengers fought back against the hijackers. It was believed to be headed for the United States Capitol building.

Bankruptcy and Reorganization

A 737-500 in the post-bankruptcy "Rising Blue" landing at Los Angeles International Airport.

United had a strong presence on the West Coast and benefited from the "dot-com boom," which brought a lot of business travelers to its San Francisco hub. But this boost was only temporary. When the "bubble" burst, United was in a tough spot because its costs were too high, partly due to the large pay raises given to pilots in 2000. Along with the drop in air travel after 9/11 and very high oil prices, the company lost a lot of money in 2001.

Because it couldn't get enough money, UAL Corporation filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2002. The employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) ended, and the shares became almost worthless. The bankruptcy was blamed on the 9/11 attacks, which caused a financial crisis for all major North American airlines, along with a general economic slowdown.

United kept flying during its bankruptcy, but it had to cut costs a lot. Thousands of workers were laid off, and many routes were canceled. The airline also reduced its main fleet from 557 planes to 460.

A United Boeing 747-400 at Frankfurt Airport.

At the same time, United kept investing in new projects. In November 2003, it launched Ted, a new low-cost carrier to compete with other budget airlines. In 2004, it started its luxury "p.s." service on special Boeing 757-200s for flights between JFK Airport in New York City and Los Angeles and San Francisco. This service was for business travelers and high-end leisure customers. In February 2004, the airline also introduced a new blue and white design for its planes, called "Rising Blue," to show a fresh start after bankruptcy.

The airline faced a lot of financial pressure. The SARS epidemic in 2003 reduced travel on United's Pacific routes. High jet fuel prices also hurt United's profits. United had to increase ticket prices on overseas routes because of rising fuel costs.

United used its bankruptcy status to negotiate lower costs with employees and suppliers. One of the most talked-about actions was canceling its pension plan in 2005, which was the largest such default in American corporate history. They also renegotiated contracts with unions for lower pay.

United was supposed to exit bankruptcy in late 2005, but they asked for an extension because of record-high fuel prices. On January 20, 2006, the bankruptcy court approved United's plan, allowing the airline to exit bankruptcy on February 1 and return to normal operations.

After Bankruptcy

United Airlines Boeing 777-200 landing in the Blue Tulip livery. The Blue Tulip livery was used from 2005 until its merger with Continental Airlines in 2011.

On December 9, 2004, United made history when one of its Boeing 747-400 planes landed in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam. This was the first scheduled flight by a U.S. airline to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

On February 1, 2006, United officially came out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It had been in bankruptcy since December 9, 2002, making it the largest and longest airline bankruptcy case in history. After exiting bankruptcy, United's management looked for other airlines to merge with. In 2006, The Wall Street Journal reported that Continental Airlines was talking about merging with United.

In May 2008, the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked United Airlines second-to-last among U.S. airlines for customer satisfaction. On June 4, 2008, United announced it would close its Ted unit and change those planes back to regular United planes. On June 12, 2008, United announced it would charge $15 for the first checked bag, becoming the second U.S. airline to do so.

On September 8, 2008, the price of United's shares dropped almost 99% in just fifteen minutes due to rumors of another bankruptcy. These rumors came from an old news story about the 2002 bankruptcy that was mistakenly reported as new. The share price quickly recovered.

In July 2009, a viral music video called "United Breaks Guitars" was released. It was about a musician whose guitar was damaged by the airline and his claim was not resolved. United later said it wanted to use the video to help train its staff and improve customer relations.

Merger with Continental Airlines

United Airlines Boeing 737-700 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on August 3, 2011. The new branding combines the United brand with the Continental Airlines livery.

On April 16, 2010, United started talking about merging with Continental Airlines again. On May 2, 2010, the leaders of both companies agreed to combine their operations to create the world's largest airline. The new airline would be called United Airlines but would use Continental's logo and airplane design. The main office would be in Chicago, and Continental's CEO, Jeff Smisek, would lead the new combined airline.

On August 27, 2010, the U.S. Justice Department approved the merger. On September 17, 2010, United shareholders also approved it. The two airlines planned to start combining their operations in 2011.

On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation officially bought Continental Airlines and changed its name to United Continental Holdings. The two airlines continued to operate separately until they fully combined in mid-2012. The combined airline decided to keep United's Mileage Plus as its frequent flyer program. On November 30, 2011, the airline received a single operating certificate from the FAA, meaning they could now operate as one airline.

On March 31, 2013, United and Continental officially merged into a single airline. The combined company chose to keep the United Airlines name because it was already a well-known brand.

Recent Events

In 2013, the United States Department of Transportation fined United $1.1 million for long delays on the tarmac at O'Hare International Airport in July 2012. This was the largest fine ever for keeping passengers stuck on planes. Some flights were delayed for over four hours.

On June 2, 2015, all United Airlines flights were temporarily stopped. On July 8, all United flights were stopped again for over two hours because of a computer problem.

In January 2018, United announced plans to grow its passenger capacity by 4% to 6% each year through 2020. United also applied for more routes to Tokyo Haneda Airport from its U.S. hubs.

COVID-19 Pandemic

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2020, United announced that it would send layoff warnings to 36,000 employees, including flight attendants, airport operations staff, and pilots. On September 2, 2020, United Airlines confirmed plans to cut 16,370 jobs.

In November 2020, United Airlines started preparing flights to transport Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine once it was approved. The Federal Aviation Administration allowed United to carry 15,000 pounds of dry ice per flight, which is five times more than usual, to keep the vaccine cold.

Unlike other U.S. airlines, United did not retire any planes during the pandemic. In June 2021, United announced its largest order ever for 270 new narrowbody planes. This order was split between Boeing and Airbus, including 150 Boeing 737 MAX 10s, 50 MAX 8s, and 70 Airbus A321neos. United also plans to upgrade the interiors of its existing planes with new features like faster WiFi and seatback entertainment by 2025.

By mid-August 2021, United was the only major U.S. airline to require its workers to get COVID-19 vaccines by October 25, 2021.

Airlines That Became United

United Airlines today is made up of many airlines that have merged over the years. The most recent big merger was with Continental Airlines, which itself had merged with or bought several other airlines.

United was first formed in 1931 from a merger of four airlines:

• Boeing Air Transport (started in 1927)
• National Air Transport (started in 1925)
• Pacific Air Transport (started in 1926)
• Varney Air Lines (started in 1926)

Other airlines that became part of the current United Airlines include:

• Capital Airlines (started in 1936, bought by United in 1961)
• Continental Airlines (started in 1934, bought by United in 2010)
  • Air Micronesia (started in 1968 as part of Continental, later merged into Continental)
  • New York Air (started in 1980, merged into Continental in 1987)
  • Pioneer Airlines (started in 1939, merged into Continental in 1955)
  • People Express Airlines (started in 1981, merged into Continental in 1987)
    • Frontier Airlines (started in 1950, merged into People Express in 1986)
      • Arizona Airways (started in 1942, merged into Frontier in 1950)
      • Central Airlines (started in 1949, merged into Frontier in 1967)
      • Challenger Airlines (started in 1941, merged into Frontier in 1950)
      • Monarch Airlines (started in 1946, merged into Frontier in 1950)
  • Texas International Airlines (started in 1944, merged into Continental in 1982)
• Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) (started in 1927, its Pacific routes were bought by United in 1985, and its Heathrow Airport flight rights were bought by United in 1990. Pan Am later went out of business in 1991.)

United Airlines Brand and Slogans

Past Logos and Plane Designs

United Boeing 727 with Stars and Stripes scheme hanging overhead at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago

United used a red, white, and blue shield logo in 1936, but it wasn't used consistently and was eventually stopped in the early 1970s. Before 1974, United often used the slogan "Come Fly the Friendly Skies of United."

The United Airlines logo used before the merger with Continental. The tulip was designed in 1973 by Saul Bass.

In 1973, the airline asked designer Saul Bass to create a new logo and look for their planes. The "tulip" logo, with colored stripes forming overlapping "U"s, started being used in 1974 and stayed with only small changes until the merger with Continental. The "Rainbow" (or "Saul Bass") design for the planes had a mostly white body with red, orange, and blue stripes. This design was used for 19 years. During this time, United also started using Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" music in its commercials.

In 1993, United completely changed its branding and plane design. The new "Battleship" design featured a mostly grey and dark blue body with blue stripes on the tail. This look was meant to show a more serious, global image for the airline as it expanded internationally.

A United Airlines Boeing 757-200 in the "Rising Blue" livery used from 2004 until the merger with Continental.

In 1997, United decided to keep the "tulip" logo because it was so well-known. Then, on February 18, 2004, the "Rising Blue" (or "Blue Tulip") design was introduced. This new look was meant to signal a fresh start as the company came out of bankruptcy. The new design had a white upper body, a lighter blue for the bottom of the plane, and blue stripes. The tail featured a larger, bluish "tulip" logo.

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  747 in pre-1974 "Stars and Bars" livery

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  747 at Charles de Gaulle wearing Saul Bass-designed "Tulip" livery (1974–1993)

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  747 wearing "Battleship" livery (1993–2004)

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  747 in "Rising Blue" or "Blue Tulip" livery (2004–10)

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  Post-merger 747 in ex-Continental "Globe" livery (2010–2019)

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  Boeing 787-9 at Beijing Capital International Airport wearing the newest livery (2019–present)

On May 3, 2010, after the merger with Continental Airlines was announced, the combined airline decided to use the United name but keep Continental's "globe" logo and plane design, which was created in 1991.

Many people, including marketing experts, were not happy with this decision, as they felt the "tulip" logo was more recognizable and stronger than the Continental globe.

An assortment of United Airlines aircraft at San Francisco International Airport with post-merger Continental "globe" and earlier "tulip" logos in 2011.

In August 2010, the "United" lettering was updated to match Continental's style, but in all capital letters. The merger was approved in September 2010, and the two companies officially merged on October 1, 2010.

United revealed an updated plane design on April 24, 2019. It still has a white upper body and gray belly. But now, the "United" lettering is larger, there's a blue wavy line, and the engines and tail are painted in a specific shade of blue with a slightly larger, lighter blue globe.

N475UA, the United "Stars and Bars" Airbus A320, taxiing at Denver International Airport in June 2012

N75436, the Continental "Blue Skyways" Boeing 737-900ER, taxiing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in June 2009.

Two United planes in regular service have special old paint schemes. One is a Boeing 737-900ER painted in Continental's 1950s "Blue Skyways" design. The other is a United Airbus A320 with United's 1970s "Stars and Bars" design.

Eleven other planes, including various Boeing 777s, 767s, 757s, and 737s, are painted in the Star Alliance design, showing their membership in that airline group.

United Airlines Slogans

United's early slogan was "The Main Line Airway." In 1965, it changed to "Fly the Friendly Skies," which was used until 1996 and then brought back on September 20, 2013.

Here are some other slogans United has used:

• "The Extra Care Airline" (1963–1964)
• "When you're friendly you do things for people" (1971)
• "Your Land is Our Land" (1972)
• "You're the boss" (1976–1977)
• "United all the way" (1979–1980)
• "Official Airline of the 1984 Olympic Games" (1984 Summer Olympics)
• "United. Rising." (late 1990s)
• "We Are United" (after 9/11, until 2004)
• "It's time to fly" (2004–2010)
• "Let's fly together" (2010–2013)
• "Proud to fly Team USA for over 30 years." (2012–2021)
• "Connecting people. Uniting the world." (2017–present)

Former Hub Airports

United Airlines used to have main operating bases, called hubs, at these airports:

• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport – United had a hub here until 1985, when it started moving operations to Washington Dulles. Continental Airlines then made Cleveland its own hub. United kept the hub for four years after the United-Continental merger, but closed it in 2014 due to low profits and its closeness to the Chicago–O'Hare hub.
• Miami International Airport – Miami became a hub in 1991 after United bought Pan Am's international routes from there. In May 2004, Miami was no longer a hub, and its flights were moved to Chicago.
• Tokyo Narita International Airport – This was United's hub for Asia and its ninth-largest hub overall. In its 2017 report, United no longer listed Tokyo-Narita as a hub.
• Stapleton International Airport – Both United and Continental had hubs at Denver's old airport, Stapleton, from 1972 until it closed in 1995. When Denver International Airport opened, United moved its operations there, but Continental closed its Denver hub.

Past Aircraft Used by United Airlines

Images for kids

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  Early 1950s "100,000 Mile Club" Award plaque (stars represent additional awards)

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  Ad for "Men only" flight "The Chicago Executive"

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  United Sud Aviation Caravelle in 1965

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  UAL Boeing 747 wearing the mid-1970s Friend Ship scheme at O'Hare International Airport in December 1973

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  United 727-100 in the 1974–1993 Rainbow Scheme