United announces its second international route for the new Boeing 787-9

United Airlines (Chicago) previously announced that it will fly the new Boeing 787-9 on international nonstop service between its hub at Los Angeles International Airport and Melbourne, Australia, beginning in October. The airline will fly the route six times weekly with the aircraft. United will be the first North American carrier to take delivery of the stretched 787-9.

United has completed the final cabin configuration and painting. The 787-9 will be configured with 252 seats – 48 in United BusinessFirst and 204 in United Economy, including 88 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space. The first 787-9 will also be one of five aircraft used by Boeing in a flight test program to certify the aircraft.

United has now announced its second route for the 787-9. UA will introduce the new stretched Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Los Angeles-Shanghai (Pudong) on March 5, 2015, initially with four weekly flights (daily by May 8, 2015).

In other news, United Airlines has announced that dispatchers, represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA) and the Transport Workers Union (TWU), have ratified a new joint labor agreement for all United Airlines dispatchers. The agreement covers more than 330 United dispatchers.

United has achieved joint collective bargaining agreements with a majority of the company’s represented work force, including pilots, fleet service, passenger service, reservations and storekeeper workgroups.

The company is starting an expedited negotiations process with the Association of Flight Attendants and expects to enter back into negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing United’s technicians, soon.

Copyright Photo: Bernie Leighton/AirlinersGallery.com. An aerial view at the Boeing’s flight line at Paine Field, Everett of the first United Airlines Boeing 787-9, registered as N38950 (msn 36401).

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