United Airlines announced on Wednesday that they will expand their global network with new nonstop flights to Africa, India and Hawaii. With the added service, United will now offer more nonstop flights to India and South Africa than any other U.S. carrier.
On Wednesday (September 9, 2020), United Airlines announced an expansion of their global network with new nonstop flights to Africa, India and Hawaii. The carrier will maintain their leadership position as the largest U.S. carrier operating between the mainland and Hawaii, while offering more nonstop flights to India and South Africa than any other U.S. airline. From December, United will offer daily service between Chicago and New Delhi and beginning in Spring 2021, the carrier will become the only U.S airline offering service between San Francisco and Bangalore, India as well as from New York-Newark to Johannesburg. In late spring United will also introduce service between Washington D.C. and Accra, Ghana and Lagos in Nigeria. Additionally, starting in Summer 2021, the airline will offer four weekly nonstop flights between Chicago and Kona, as well as between New York-Newark and Maui. Finally, this week United will offer more nonstop service to Israel as they become the only U.S. airline to offer nonstop flights from Chicago to Tel Aviv. In Today’s announcement, United Airlines’ Vice President of International Network and Alliances, Patrick Quayle said,
"Now is the right time to take a bold step in evolving our global network to help our customers reconnect with friends, family and colleagues around the world. These new nonstop routes provide shorter travel times and convenient one-stop connections from across the United States, demonstrating United's continued innovative and forward-looking approach to rebuilding our network to meet the travel needs of our customers."
United’s new trans-Atlantic flights will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner configured with the carrier’s Polaris® Business Class cabin that features custom luxury bedding by Saks Fifth Avenue, restaurant-quality multi-course dining, premium amenity kits and full lie-flat bed seats. Flights between Chicago and Kona will also be operated with a Dreamliner, while New York-Newark to Maui service will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER.
United has also implemented industry-leading health and safety protocols as part of their United CleanPlus program, established in cooperation with Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic in May 2020. The carrier was also a leader in implementing mandatory masks and the first carrier to rollout touchless baggage check-in. United also uses HEPA filters, both during the boarding process and in the air, that remove up to 99.7% of airborne particulates. United Airlines also uses electrostatic spraying prior to departure, which provides enhanced cabin sanitation, and has introduced ultraviolet lighting flight deck disinfection. Additionally, all customers must acknowledge that they are free of Covid-19 symptoms upon check-in and the airline boards passengers from the rear to maximize social distancing.
Source: United Airlines