United Airlines today announced that customers will be required to wear a face covering in the more than 360 airports where the airline operates around the world. This includes United customer service counters and kiosks, United Club locations, United’s gates and baggage claim areas. If customers refuse to comply, they may be refused travel and banned from flying United at least while the mask requirement is in place. This will be effective for all customers traveling on and after July 24 regardless of when their ticket was purchased. United also will strengthen its mask exemption policy by only excluding children under the age of two. If a passenger believes that there are extraordinary circumstances that warrant an exception, they should contact United or speak to a representative at the airport.

In early May, United was the first major U.S. airline to require flight attendants to wear a face covering and later extended that policy to all customers. And in June, the airline was among the first U.S. carriers to say it would suspend flight benefits of passengers who refused to comply while onboard.

“The most important thing any of us can do to slow the spread of the coronavirus is to simply wear a mask when we’re around other people,” said United’s Chief Executive Officer, Scott Kirby. “A mask is about protecting the safety of others, and I’m proud of the aggressive and proactive steps United Airlines has taken to ensure people are wearing a face covering in the airports where we operate and onboard the aircraft we fly.”

United will post signage throughout the airport to reinforce this new policy and employees will first give a customer a verbal reminder and offer a free mask to any customer who is not wearing one. If the customer refuses to comply, United employees will offer the customer a reminder card that outlines the company’s face covering policy. Continued non-compliance could result in a refusal to transport and the customer could also be banned from flying United at a minimum while the mask requirement is in place.

United’s face covering policy was created under the guidance of United’s on-staff corporate medical team, public health officials and experts at Cleveland Clinic.

“United’s extended face mask policy adds another layer of protection for travelers, even before they board an aircraft,” said Dr. James Merlino, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Cleveland Clinic. “Wearing a face mask is an incredibly simple measure that we all can take to help slow the spread of COVID-19. They act as a barrier to keep respiratory droplets from entering the air, where someone else could breathe them in and possibly become infected. The more people that wear masks, the less risk there is of others being exposed to the virus.”

United will inform customers of its updated face covering policy at numerous points in the travel journey including:

• Online and in the United app when a customer books a ticket.
• At check in as part of United’s “Ready to Fly” checklist, which asks customers to certify that they have not been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, have not exhibited symptoms and are willing to comply with the company’s face covering policy. Customers who cannot or do not meet these requirements will be given the option to rebook their travel.
• New airport signage in terminal and gate areas.

Onboard, customers are expected to wear a face covering for the duration of the flight, except when eating or drinking. Customers who refuse to comply with the onboard policy could be refused travel and banned from flying United at least while the mask requirement is in place.

This new policy is part of the airline’s United CleanPlus program, an effort to put health and safety at the forefront of the entire customer experience, that includes a mandatory mask policy, electrostatic spraying, touchless check-in capabilities and a first-of-its kind, pre-boarding health self-assessment for passengers.

Limiting Number of Passengers on Board

The airline is also taking steps to limit the overall number of people on board and separate customers wherever possible. United switched to a larger plane 66 times a day in May and June, for a total of more than 4,000 flights during those months, creating more space onboard. As a result, the airline’s consolidated average seat factor – or the percentage of occupied seats including customers and non-revenue passengers – was 38% in May; 57% in June and is expected to be about 45% in July, with less than 15% of flights operating with more than 70% seats filled.

When United flights are less full, the airline’s advanced automated seating tool assigns seats in a way that maximizes the space on board – and the distance between customers. And since May, United has been contacting customers via email and through the United app – as much as 24 hours in advance – if their flight is expected to be more than 70% full and gives them options to switch to different, less full flights for no additional fees. Customers also have the option to cancel their flight and receive a credit for future travel. To date, the overwhelming majority of customers choose to keep their travel plans the same.

United is focused on delivering a new level of cleanliness on the ground and in the air. In addition to the vital initiatives mentioned above, several of the airline’s precautionary measures to further ensure a cleaner environment include:

At Check-In

• Implementing temperature checks for employees and flight attendants working at hubs and other airports throughout the airline’s system
• Installing sneeze guards at check-in and gate podiums
• Promoting social distancing with floor decals to help customers stand six feet apart
• Becoming the first airline in the world to roll out touchless check-in capabilities for customers with bags

At the Gate

• Disinfecting high-touch areas such as door handles, handrails, elevator buttons, telephones and computers
• Providing hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes
• Rolling out Clorox Total 360 Electrostatic Sprayers in select markets to disinfect gate areas at United’s hub airports
• Enabling customers to self-scan boarding passes
• Boarding fewer customers at a time and, after pre-boarding, boarding from the back of the plane to the front
• Introduced real-time seat assignment update text and email notifications to further United’s touchless airport experience

On Board

• Using electrostatic spraying to disinfect most aircraft prior to flight
• Disinfecting high-touch areas – such as tray tables and armrests – prior to boarding
• Reducing contact between flight attendants and customers during snack and beverage service
• Deplaning in groups of five rows at a time to reduce crowding
• Providing onboard items including pillows and blankets upon request

United Airlines (UAL) today announced second quarter 2020 financial results, the most difficult financial quarter in its 94-year history, with a net loss of $1.6 billion, and an adjusted net loss¹ of $2.6 billion. Total operating revenues were down 87.1% year-over-year, on an 87.8 percent decrease in capacity year-over-year. The company’s total liquidity as of the close of business on Monday, July 20, 2020 was approximately $15.2 billion. United now expects liquidity at the end of the third quarter to be over $18 billion.

Cash burn² during the second quarter averaged $40 million a day, including $3 millionof principal payments and severance expenses. The company currently is forecasting average daily cash burn to be approximately $25 million during the third quarter of 2020 including $6 million of principal repayments and severance expenses.

United believes it did the best job of matching actual capacity to demand among its largest network peers. The company also expects to finish the quarter with the lowest average daily cash burn among large network carriers.

“I am grateful for the professionalism and dedication of our United team members who persevered through an historic and challenging period to deliver for our customers,” said CEO Scott Kirby. “While this unprecedented crisis has been difficult for our team, we expect United produced fewer losses and lower cash burn in the second quarter than any of our large network competitors. We accomplished this by quickly and accurately forecasting the impact that COVID would have on passenger and cargo demand, accurately matching our schedule to that reduced demand, completing the largest debt financing deal in aviation history, and cutting expenses across our business. We believe this quick and aggressive action has positioned United to both survive the COVID crisis and capitalize on consumer demand when it sustainably returns.”

Q2 Financial Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Impact

The company continued to take aggressive action to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by raising liquidity and reducing cash burn. The company is focused on remaining flexible to position the airline to bounce back when demand recovers.

• Since the start of the crisis the company has raised a total of $16.1 billionthrough debt offerings, stock issuances and the CARES Act Payroll Support Program grant and loan, among other items.
• As of July 2, raised $6.8 billion in financings secured against MileagePlus Holdings in the form of a $3.8 billion bond and a $3.0 billion term loan, with interest rates of 6.5% and LIBOR plus 5.25%, respectively.
• Entered into an equity distribution agreement for the issuance and sale from time to time of up to 28 million shares of UAL common stock in “at-the-market” offerings. Utilized the at-the-market program to raise $22 million through the sale of approximately 532,000 shares in the second quarter.
• The company entered into an agreement with a subsidiary of BOC Aviation Limited to finance through a sale leaseback transaction six Boeing 787-9 and 16 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft that are currently subject to purchase agreements between United and The Boeing Company and are scheduled to deliver in 2020.
• Raised $250 million in a secured term loan facility.
• Increased cargo revenue by 36.3% by serving strategic international cargo-only missions and optimizing aircraft capacity with low passenger demand.
• Reduced total operating costs by 69% versus the second quarter of 2019; excluding special charges³, reduced operating costs by 54%.
• Full-year 2020 adjusted capital expenditures⁴ are now expected to be approximately $3.7 billion.
• In third quarter 2020 the company expects consolidated system capacity to be down 65% versus third quarter 2019. The company will continue to proactively evaluate and cancel flights on a rolling 60-day basis until it sees signs of a recovery in demand, and expects demand to remain suppressed until the availability of a widely accepted treatment and/or vaccine for COVID-19.
• Offered employees comprehensive voluntary separation packages including flight benefits and continuous pay through Nov. 30, 2020 with more than 6,000 employees opting to participate.

United CleanPlus: Keeping Our Customers and Employees Safe

• Launched United CleanPlus, to reinforce the company’s commitment to putting health and safety at the forefront of the entire customer experience, with the goal of delivering an industry-leading standard of cleanliness by partnering with Clorox and experts from the Cleveland Clinic.
• Require all United flight attendants and passengers to wear face coverings.
• Among first U.S. airlines to enforce policy that bans customers for refusing to follow mask requirements.
• This week, the company announced it will now maximize air flow volume for all mainline aircraft high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems during the entire boarding and deplaning process, helping further reduce the spread of COVID-19.
• First major U.S. airline to ask all passengers to complete a health self-assessment during their check-in process based on recommendations from the Cleveland Clinic.
• As of July 1, all U.S. airports are electrostatic spraying aircraft interiors.
• Expanded touchless check-in capabilities to kiosks at more than 215 airports.
• The company offers free COVID-19 testing to all employees, and checks their temperatures before they begin work at all U.S. airports.
• In May, started providing individually wrapped hand wipes and snack bag with pretzels, Stroopwafel, water, and a hand sanitizer wipe as customers board to reduce touchpoints.

More Space and Flexibility to Build Our Customers’ Confidence

• First airline to contact customers when flights are more than 70% full to give them the opportunity to change their plans for free.
• Upgauged more than 4,000 flights in May and June to give customers more space on-board. Seat factor⁵ in May was 38.0% and in June was 57.8%.
• United doubled the size of its schedule from June to July – meaning more flights, more seats, and more space onboard for our customers. Our schedule will expand again in August.
• Expecting a July load factor of 45%, with less than 15% of flights with more than 70% of seats filled.
• Waiving change fees for tickets bought through July 31, 2020.

 Doing Our Part to Help Fight COVID-19 Since Crisis Began

• Booked over 2,900 in-kind flights for medical professionals to support COVID-19 response in New Jersey/New York and California.
• More than 19.2 million miles donated by MileagePlus members and 7.6 million miles matched from United to help organizations providing relief during COVID-19.
• Donated more than 500,000 pounds of food from United Polaris lounges, United Clubs and catering kitchens to local food banks and charities.
• Over 7,500 face masks were made from upcycled unused ramp uniforms.
• More than 800 gallons of hand sanitizer produced by United employees in San Francisco for use by United employees.
• Donated 15,000 pillows, 2,800 amenity kits and 5,000 self-care products to charities and homeless shelters.
• More than 2.2 million pounds of food and household goods were processed by United employees at the Houston Food Bank.
• Flew over 78.6 million pounds of medical equipment and personal protective equipment and 2 million pounds of supplies to support military troops.
• Operated over 3,800 cargo-only flights to bring 204,000,000 pounds of cargo to communities in need.
• More than 2,300 United employees worldwide have volunteered, with over 30,800 hours served.

United Airlines has issued this statement:

United Airlines today announced that the carrier will now maximize air flow volume for all mainline aircraft high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems during the entire boarding and deplaning process, helping further reduce the spread of COVID-19. In combination with the HEPA filters, the air conditioning and pressurization system onboard United’s mainline aircraft recirculates the air every 2-3 minutes and removes 99.97% of particles – including viruses and bacteria during both ground and air operations – making the air onboard a plane significantly cleaner than what people typically experience in restaurants, grocery stores, schools or even some hospitals. United pilots and ground staff are working to implement this new procedure for mainline aircraft beginning July 27.

“We know the environment on an aircraft is safe and because the air flow is designed to minimize the transmission of disease, the earlier we maximize air flow over our HEPA filtration system, the better for our crew and our customers,” said Scott Kirby, United’s chief executive officer. “The quality of the air, combined with a strict mask policy and regularly disinfected surfaces, are the building blocks towards preventing the spread of COVID-19 on an airplane. We expect that air travel is not likely to get back to normal until we’re closer to a widely administered vaccine – so we’re in this for the long haul. And I am going to keep encouraging our team to explore and implement new ideas, new technologies, new policies and new procedures that better protect our customers and employees.”

On commercial aircraft, fresh air flows downward into the cabin from ceiling vents and exits the cabin at the floor and sidewalls. That air is then routed through the HEPA filters and mixed with fresh, outside air before returning back to the cabin. According to Boeing, that top-to bottom pattern, and frequent air exchange helps minimize front-to-back air movement and reduces the potential for spread of contaminants from people, such as through sneezing or coughing. The system replaces the entire volume of cabin air every 2-3 minutes by providing 50% HEPA filtered, recirculated air mixed with 50% outside air, which allows a constant flow of either fresh or HEPA filtered air throughout the cabin. In addition, United has been partnering with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to study how effectively the unique airflow configuration onboard an aircraft can prevent the spread of aerosolized particles among passengers and crew.

During a review of its cleaning and safety procedures with its United CleanPlus partners – Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic – United identified new opportunities during boarding and deplaning to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Already, the airline boards passengers back-to-front and deplanes five rows at a time. The new air filtration procedure on mainline aircraft will maximize air flow volume and recirculation of cabin air for passengers from the moment they step onboard.

“HEPA filters are an effective way to ensure clean air on an aircraft,” said Dr. James Merlino from The Cleveland Clinic. “United’s new strategy of running the air filtration and circulation systems at maximum volume well before passengers board and until they deplane, adds one more layer of protection. In addition to air filtration, we have worked with the airline to enact measures such as mandatory masking, health screenings, disinfection, and touchless systems, as we believe layering on precautions, more than any one strategy alone, helps create the safest environment possible.”

Among the First to Require Masks

United was one of the first airlines in the country to mandate that everyone onboard wear a face covering, providing complimentary masks to any customer or employee who needs one. When worn properly, face coverings prevent particles from one passenger’s respiratory system from getting into the air and then potentially infecting others. Customers who do not comply with United’s policy risk having their travel benefits suspended.

Limiting Number of Passengers on Board

The airline is also taking steps to limit the overall number of people on board and separate customers wherever possible. United switched to a larger plane 66 times a day in May and June, for a total of more than 4,000 flights during those months, creating more space onboard. As a result, the airline’s consolidated average seat factor – or the percentage of occupied seats including customers and non-revenue passengers – was 38% in May; 57% in June and is expected to be about 45% in July, with less than 15% of flights operating with more than 70% seats filled.

When United flights are less full, the airline’s advanced automated seating tool assigns seats in a way that maximizes the space on board – and the distance between customers. And since May, United has been contacting customers via email and through the United app – as much as 24 hours in advance – if their flight is expected to be more than 70% full and gives them options to switch to different, less full flights for no additional fees. Customers also have the option to cancel their flight and receive a credit for future travel. To date, the overwhelming majority of customers choose to keep their travel plans the same.

United is focused on delivering a new level of cleanliness on the ground and in the air. In addition to the vital initiatives mentioned above, several of the airline’s precautionary measures to further ensure a cleaner environment include:

At Check-In

• Implementing temperature checks for employees and flight attendants working at hubs and other airports throughout the airline’s system
• Installing sneeze guards at check-in and gate podiums
• Promoting social distancing with floor decals to help customers stand six feet apart
• Becoming the first airline in the world to roll out touchless check-in capabilities for customers with bags

At the Gate

• Disinfecting high-touch areas such as door handles, handrails, elevator buttons, telephones and computers
• Providing hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes
• Rolling out Clorox Total 360 Electrostatic Sprayers in select markets to disinfect gate areas at United’s hub airports
• Enabling customers to self-scan boarding passes
• Boarding fewer customers at a time and, after pre-boarding, boarding from the back of the plane to the front
• Introduced real-time seat assignment update text and email notifications to further United’s touchless airport experience

On Board

• Using electrostatic spraying to disinfect most aircraft prior to flight
• Disinfecting high-touch areas – such as tray tables and armrests – prior to boarding
• Reducing contact between flight attendants and customers during snack and beverage service
• Deplaning in groups of five rows at a time to reduce crowding
• Providing onboard items including pillows and blankets upon request