United Airlines Welcomes Copa Airlines, Avianca And TACA Airlines To The Star Alliance

Published on Thursday, 21 June 2012 15:17 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

UNITED AND AVIANCA BEGIN CODESHARING

CHICAGO, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today welcomes Avianca, TACA and Copa Airlines to the Star Alliance, the world's leading global airline network, offering United customers additional reach into Latin America.

In conjunction with this announcement, effective today, United is placing its code on Avianca-operated flights to cities in Colombia, and Avianca is placing its code on certain United-operated flights within the U.S. This is in addition to United's relationship with TACA, which dates back to 2006.

United has a longstanding and broad relationship with Copa, including codesharing on Copa flights from its Panama hub and United flights in the U.S. United also serves as Copa's mentor in its entry into the Star Alliance.

"United heartily welcomes Copa, Avianca and TACA into the Star Alliance," said Hershel Kamen, senior vice president Alliances, Regulatory and Policy for United Airlines. "Avianca, TACA and Copa customers now have access to an unprecedented network with more than 21,500 daily Star Alliance member flights worldwide. Meanwhile, current Star Alliance customers will benefit from improved access to Latin America."

Through the Star Alliance, members of United's loyalty program, MileagePlus, and the Avianca and TACA frequent-flier program, LifeMiles, now can earn and redeem mileage anywhere on either airline's route network. MileagePlus is also Copa's loyalty program. Further, United Club members and MileagePlus Premier members with Star Alliance Gold status traveling on a same-day Star Alliance member flight can access Copa, Avianca and TACA lounges at the flight's departure city. Avianca, TACA and Copa Star Alliance Gold members can access United Club lounges worldwide when traveling on a same-day Star Alliance member flight from the airport lounge location. United and Copa jointly operate the lounge at Tocumen International Airport in Panama.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,605 flights a day to 375 airports on six continents from our hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 125 new aircraft deliveries from 2012 through 2019, including 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 25 Airbus A350XWBs. United was rated the world's most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2012 airline-industry list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

SOURCE United Continental Holdings, Inc.