CHICAGO, Sept. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United
Airlines announced today that new service between Washington, D.C. and Lagos, Nigeria will begin November 29 (subject to government approval). The
airline will operate three weekly flights connecting the U.S.
capital to Nigeria's largest city,
which is also the top Western African destination for U.S-based
travelers. Tickets will be available for sale on united.com and the
United app this weekend.
"This new flight to Lagos has
been highly anticipated by our customers and offers the first ever
nonstop service between Washington,
D.C. and Nigeria, as well
as convenient, one-stop connections to over 80 destinations
throughout the Americas including Houston and Chicago," said Patrick
Quayle, United's vice president of international network and
alliances. "On behalf of all of United we'd like to offer our
sincere thanks to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and U.S.
Department of Transportation for supporting our plans to provide
this service."
"We are honored to work with our partners at United Airlines to
welcome their second nonstop connection from Dulles International
to the African continent," said Carl
Schultz, acting vice president of airline business
development at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
"Lagos joins nearly 50 other
nonstop international destinations currently served by the National
Capital Region's gateway to the world."
United will operate this route with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner
featuring 28 United Polaris® business class lie-flat
seats, 21 United Premium Plus® premium economy seats, 36
Economy Plus® seats and 158 standard economy seats. This
flight is the only service between the U.S. and Nigeria to offer premium economy product.
Flights will depart Washington,
D.C. on Monday, Thursday and Saturday and return from
Lagos on Tuesday, Friday and
Sunday.
This new flight builds on United's expansion into Africa and solidifies United's leadership
position to Africa from the D.C.
metro area, with more flights to the continent than any other
airline. Just this year, United launched new service between
New York/Newark and Johannesburg, South Africa and between
Washington, D.C. and Accra, Ghana. And this December and January,
United will increase its service to Accra from three weekly flights to daily* as
customers travel home for the winter holidays. United is also
returning its popular service between New
York/Newark and
Cape Town, South Africa on
December 1.
United's new flights comply with each country's COVID-19
protocols and customers should check destination requirements
before traveling.
Making International Travel Easier
United is the only U.S. airline to offer its own one-stop-shop
where customers can conveniently get "travel-ready" by finding a
location to schedule a COVID-19 test as well as upload and store
their test results and vaccination records directly through the
airline's website and award-winning mobile
app with the Travel-Ready Center. The airline's
easy-to-use travel tool available on United's mobile app enables
customers to reduce stress and save valuable time at the airport
right from the palm of their hand. United also announced a
collaboration with Abbott and
became the first U.S. carrier to set up an easy way for
international travelers to bring a CDC-approved test with them,
self-administer while abroad, and return home.
United Next
United is more focused than ever on its commitment to customers
and employees. In addition to today's announcement, United has
recently:
- Launched an ambitious plan to transform the United
customer experience by adding and upgrading hundreds of aircraft as
well as investing in features like larger overhead bins, seatback
entertainment in every seat and the industry's fastest available
Wi-Fi.
- Announced a goal to create 25,000 unionized jobs by 2026 that
includes careers as pilots, flight attendants, agents, technicians,
and dispatchers.
- Announced that United will train at least 5,000 pilots by 2030
through the United Aviate Academy, with the plan of at least half
being women and people of color.
- Required all U.S. employees to receive a COVID-19
vaccination.
- Became the first airline to offer customers the ability to
check their destination's travel requirements, schedule COVID-19
tests and more on its mobile app and website.
- Invested in emerging technologies that are designed to
decarbonize air travel, like an agreement to work with urban air
mobility company Archer, an investment in aircraft startup Heart
Aerospace and a purchase agreement with Boom Supersonic.
- Committed to going 100% green by 2050 by reducing 100% of our
greenhouse gas emissions without relying on traditional carbon
offsets, including a recent agreement to purchase one and a
half times the amount of all of the rest of the world's airlines'
publicly announced Sustainable Aviation Fuel commitments
combined.
- Eliminated change fees for all economy and premium cabin
tickets for travel within the U.S.
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the
World." In 2019, United and United Express® carriers operated more
than 1.7 million flights carrying more than 162 million customers.
United has the most comprehensive route network among North
American carriers, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. For more about how to
join the United team, please visit united.com/careers and
more information about the company is at united.com. United
Airlines Holdings, Inc. is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol
"UAL".
*daily flights to Accra this
winter are subject to government approval
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SOURCE United Airlines