United Airlines to launch Daily Flights to Dubai and Moscow from Washington Dulles

United Airlines is planning to tap into two thriving economies with new daily passenger and cargo services to Dubai and Moscow from its Washington Dulles hub. Pending government approvals, United plans to begin its Dubai and Moscow service October 26.

Dubai, a booming Middle East trade port, real estate haven and major world hub for IT and financial services, will become the second, fast-emerging Middle Eastern city United serves. In October 2006, United launched three weekly flights between Washington Dulles and Kuwait, and in December 2007 the airline increased this service to daily.

Service to Moscow, Russia’s prime financial, scientific and cultural center, will mark United’s fifth new capital-to-capital service in the last two years, bringing the total to 12.

“Commerce and tourism are growing exponentially in both Dubai and Moscow, and many of our cargo and corporate customers are traveling and shipping there more often to capitalize upon the economic health in these regions,” said John Tague, executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “With these new routes, we are continuing to show discipline with our capacity deployment by targeting profitable growth opportunities.”

With United’s first-ever flights to Dubai and Moscow, United’s Washington Dulles hub will serve 24 international destinations, including five that began operating in the past two years: Beijing, Kuwait, Rio de Janeiro (seasonal service restarts in September), Rome and Tokyo. Washington Dulles also offers customers traveling from Dubai and Moscow onward connecting service to 88 destinations in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.

“This further connects Virginia and the D.C. metro region to the global economy and that’s good news for all of us,” said Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.

United plans to operate combined passenger and cargo service between the U.S. and Dubai using a Boeing 777 aircraft and between the U.S. and Moscow using a Boeing 767 aircraft.

Today, United's Boeing 777 aircraft is configured with 10 United First Suite seats, 45 United Business seats and 198 United Economy class seats, including 84 Economy Plus seats. The Boeing 767 aircraft is configured with 10 United First seats, 32 United Business seats and 141 United Economy class seats, including 67 Economy Plus seats.

The new route is expected to serve as an important cargo entryway for the Middle East region’s high demand for petrochemical, construction and consumer goods and for Russia’s growing demand for industrial and consumer commodities. Mail also is expected to represent a significant amount of cargo volume on these flights.

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