Release 05.UAL2
January 18, 2005

For Immediate Release

United Pilot Leaders Accept, Endorse Revised Tentative Agreement with Company

ROSEMONT, ILL. -- The United Master Executive Council, the governing body of the United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association, today accepted a revised tentative agreement between ALPA and United Airlines and unanimously recommended the agreement be ratified by the pilot group.

The agreement now goes to the approximately 6,400 United pilots for a ratification vote. Balloting begins on January 20 and will close on January 31.

The MEC opted to accept the revised agreement rather than pursue a litigated outcome in bankruptcy court under Section 1113 proceedings. Bankruptcy Judge Eugene Wedoff on January 7 rejected the pilots’ original agreement with the Company because certain aspects of that agreement were inconsistent with the requirements of the bankruptcy code.

“After careful consideration and thorough study, the governing body of United’s pilots unanimously voted that ratification of this new agreement is the best course of action for all pilots at United Airlines. Absent this agreement, we faced an unacceptable outcome in litigation before the Bankruptcy Court,” said MEC Chairman Captain Mark Bathurst. “Given the circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is our belief that this agreement provides the stability that the company needs to move toward an expeditious exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

“It must be understood that, with this agreement, the MEC has provided the tools that the Company claims it needs to exit from bankruptcy. This MEC has expended an extraordinary amount of energy and resources in order to achieve this agreement. Should the pilots ratify this agreement, we fully expect the Company to use these tools to move this Company out of the morass of bankruptcy and emerge as a healthy, viable competitor.”

Contacts:   

Dave Kelly   

Captain Herb Hunter   

Captain Steve Derebey

847-292-1708   

954-757-4067   

253-279-8260