Bill Hough
2006-05-11 15:55:48 UTC
This is just the thing a loss-making airline that's alienated its
employees needs to be concerned with right now.
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This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
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Thursday, May 11, 2006 (SF Chronicle)
United seeking a new world HQ
David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer
The parent company of United Airlines, the dominant airline at San
Francisco International Airport, is considering moving to a new corporate
headquarters, the airline confirmed Wednesday.
Reports of a possible move surfaced in Crain's Chicago Business, which
said UAL Corp. is considering downtown Chicago, Denver and San Francisco
as possible locations. United is headquartered near O'Hare International
Airport in suburban Elk Grove Township, outside Chicago.
"We are looking at all of our facilities to see where we could benefit
from consolidation," said United spokeswoman Jean Medina, who emphasized
that no decisions about moving have been made.
"Looking at this is something corporations do all the time," Medina said,
allowing that UAL -- which spent nearly three years in bankruptcy and has
not made a profit since 2000 -- is looking at reconfiguring its physical
plants as a way to reduce its operating costs.
Medina said UAL has retained the Staubach Co., -- a real estate firm
headed by its namesake, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.
"We would be delighted to have United here in the Bay Area," said John
Martin, director of San Francisco International Airport, which United uses
as a hub.
Martin said he plans to get in touch with the airline to discuss the
situation with executives.
Martin said United and the Bay Area would be a natural fit. "United is a
major employer in the Bay Area, and Asian traffic is the fastest-growing
market," Martin said of SFO.
Martin also cited the Bay Area's highly educated workforce and its
entrepreneurial spirit as additional reasons UAL should consider
relocating here.
At Local 9 of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which
represents United's union mechanics, the local's vice president, Brian
McKeenan, said his members had only just become aware of the news and had
no information about a move.
"I think it is unlikely," McKeenan said. "Executives always complain about
the cost of living here. I've been to their world headquarters. They have
a plush arrangement in Elk Grove, with the low cost of living and the cost
of gas and so on."
Peter Ragone, press secretary for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, did
not immediately return a phone call asking City Hall to comment.
United has 53,000 employees, with about 3,500 at its corporate
headquarters. The company employs 11,000 people in Northern California,
down from 20,000 before the high-tech slump, nationwide economic recession
and Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks reduced demand from travelers and
curtailed corporate travel budgets.
UAL has been headed since autumn 2002 by Glenn Tilton, who lived in San
Francisco when he served as a senior executive at Chevron Corp. prior to
taking the top job at United.
E-mail David Armstrong at ***@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle
employees needs to be concerned with right now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/11/BUG3RIPBDQ1.DTL
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, May 11, 2006 (SF Chronicle)
United seeking a new world HQ
David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer
The parent company of United Airlines, the dominant airline at San
Francisco International Airport, is considering moving to a new corporate
headquarters, the airline confirmed Wednesday.
Reports of a possible move surfaced in Crain's Chicago Business, which
said UAL Corp. is considering downtown Chicago, Denver and San Francisco
as possible locations. United is headquartered near O'Hare International
Airport in suburban Elk Grove Township, outside Chicago.
"We are looking at all of our facilities to see where we could benefit
from consolidation," said United spokeswoman Jean Medina, who emphasized
that no decisions about moving have been made.
"Looking at this is something corporations do all the time," Medina said,
allowing that UAL -- which spent nearly three years in bankruptcy and has
not made a profit since 2000 -- is looking at reconfiguring its physical
plants as a way to reduce its operating costs.
Medina said UAL has retained the Staubach Co., -- a real estate firm
headed by its namesake, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.
"We would be delighted to have United here in the Bay Area," said John
Martin, director of San Francisco International Airport, which United uses
as a hub.
Martin said he plans to get in touch with the airline to discuss the
situation with executives.
Martin said United and the Bay Area would be a natural fit. "United is a
major employer in the Bay Area, and Asian traffic is the fastest-growing
market," Martin said of SFO.
Martin also cited the Bay Area's highly educated workforce and its
entrepreneurial spirit as additional reasons UAL should consider
relocating here.
At Local 9 of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which
represents United's union mechanics, the local's vice president, Brian
McKeenan, said his members had only just become aware of the news and had
no information about a move.
"I think it is unlikely," McKeenan said. "Executives always complain about
the cost of living here. I've been to their world headquarters. They have
a plush arrangement in Elk Grove, with the low cost of living and the cost
of gas and so on."
Peter Ragone, press secretary for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, did
not immediately return a phone call asking City Hall to comment.
United has 53,000 employees, with about 3,500 at its corporate
headquarters. The company employs 11,000 people in Northern California,
down from 20,000 before the high-tech slump, nationwide economic recession
and Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks reduced demand from travelers and
curtailed corporate travel budgets.
UAL has been headed since autumn 2002 by Glenn Tilton, who lived in San
Francisco when he served as a senior executive at Chevron Corp. prior to
taking the top job at United.
E-mail David Armstrong at ***@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle