It’s getting to the point that United Airlines is going to start having difficulty keeping track of the various “world’s largest” announcements it has been making.
A week after United, the world’s largest carrier, announced plans to acquire US Airways in the world’s largest airline merger, the Elk Grove Township-based airline said it will build the world’s largest regional aircraft terminal.
But the new terminal won’t be built at O’Hare International Airport, arguably the world’s busiest airport. Instead, it will be built at Denver International Airport. The $100 million terminal expansion will give United 36 new commuter gates to United Express flights.
Unlike United’s O’Hare commuter gate operation, where passengers are forced to schlep across the tarmac to board the turboprop aircraft, the new Denver facility will offer passenger loading bridges and individual waiting rooms for each gate.
While United has announced plans to upgrade Terminal 2 as part of the O’Hare World Gateway Project, it has not disclosed any plans for upgrading service for its O’Hare commuter operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration has projected that the majority of the nation’s airline growth over the next decade will involve commuter rather than mainline jets.
United’s announcement came on the same day that Northwest Airline officials announced a 25 percent increase in service at Northwest’s Memphis hub.
Northwest said it launched on Thursday a fourth block of flights at Memphis-Shelby County Airport–which will add 48 flights daily to the airline’s operations.
Northwest now offers three blocks of service to 43 cities, including Chicago, that launch flights beginning at 7:18 a.m., 11:28 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:25 p.m.
In addition, the airline said it is working with the airport authority on the construction of a $400 million expansion that will result in the construction of 15 new gates on the terminal’s A concourse and the reconstruction of the C concourse to accommodate commuter aircraft.
In Milwaukee, officials of General Mitchell International Airport say service is being expanded at its passenger-friendly airport with 11 new flights.
Seventeen mainline and commuter carriers serve Mitchell.
American Eagle has added four daily round trips between Dallas and Milwaukee, while Continental has added a second round trip to Houston and Midwest Express is adding a fourth round trip daily to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
In addition, Skyway Airlines, the commuter affiliate of Midwest Express, is offering three daily round trips to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and twice-daily round trips to Ft. Wayne, Ind.
New Members: Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, and LanChile, the national airline of Chile, on Thursday began flying the colors of the Oneworld Alliance of airlines. The alliance was founded two years ago by American Airlines and British Airways in response to the challenge by United Airlines and its Star Alliance, formed three years ago.
In the three years it’s been in existence, the Star Alliance has emerged as a dominant worldwide network. In addition to United, it offers service on Lufthansa Airlines, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airlines and Varig Airlines.
In addition to Aer Lingus and LanChile, the Oneworld Alliance offers service on Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Qantas, American and British Airways.
The alliances attempt to provide travelers with seamless travel by managing the connections passengers make and giving them access to special amenities, including each carrier’s lounges.
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E-mail jschmeltzer@tribune.com.
