CHICAGO -- United Airlines plans to return to profitability through a combination of reducing costs, launching a low-cost carrier and using more regional jets.

BANKRUPTCY Bankruptcy Info FAQs History Of United DISCUSSION: United's Future UAL Stock Quotes RESOURCES United Airlines ALPA: Pilots Union AFA: Flight Attendants Union Mechanics Union Machinists District 141 Machinists District 141M FACTS United has 81,000 employees worldwide. United is 55 percent employee owned. Operates 1,700 flights a day, or 20 percent of all U.S. flights. Has most extensive worldwide route structure of any airline.

In the most extensive comments yet on its new strategy in bankruptcy, United told its employees Wednesday it needs its own discount carrier to become more competitive in the leisure travel market.

It defended the plan to create a separate, low-cost airline -- which has been assailed by unions and questioned by industry experts since it was first disclosed in December -- saying it will entail a new business model that "has learned from the industry's past mistakes."

But unions remained cool to the plan and analysts said there were not enough details available yet to fairly assess it.

While disclosing few specifics about either the discount carrier or the overall strategy, United said its plan is centered on the strong network of routes and hubs that give it a "distinct revenue advantage" over its competitors.

"We simply generate more money with our network," executive vice president Doug Hacker said in a taped message on a company hotline. "What we don't have are cost advantage and the flexibility that allow us to respond to substantial changes in the market."

United, the world's No. 2 carrier and the largest at Denver International Airport, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection eight weeks ago and lost a worst-ever $3.2 billion in 2002. It has been scrambling to overhaul its financial strategy, slash labor costs by a targeted $2.4 billion a year, renegotiate aircraft leases and mortgages and restructure its fleet.

It said in a monthly operating report filed with the federal bankruptcy court in Chicago this week that it lost an average $7.2 million a day during its first 23 days in bankruptcy, from Dec. 9 to Dec. 31.

The company briefed union leaders on the developing strategy in a meeting Tuesday.

The pilots and flight attendants unions have criticized management for not presenting more specific data to justify the dramatic changes and concessions it is seeking; they pledged to fight the plan for a low-cost carrier. Another sore spot with pilots in particular is the planned reliance on more regional jets, which affects pay and seniority.

Pilots' union spokesman Dave Kelly said the union learned "absolutely nothing new" from the PowerPoint presentation the company gave Tuesday and hasn't changed its stance.

"We're not opposed to a low-cost carrier if it's structured under the United umbrella and uses current United employees. But we will not accept a low-cost carrier that means a separate employee group and hiring pilots and employees off the street as a separate company," he said.

The machinists' union declined comment.

"Our comments are going to be restricted to the bargaining table," spokesman Joseph Tiberi said.

The company told employees in the recorded message that it is discussing the structure, size and operational plans for a discount carrier with unions.

It said it wants to expand United Express and use more 70-seat aircraft because it's falling behind in the industry in the use of regional jets, which are significantly cheaper to operate. Only 23 percent of its fleet is in regional jets, compared with 54 percent for Delta Air Lines and 50 percent for Continental Airlines, it noted.

United executives have been negotiating with the unions since last month on the sharply reduced wages they are seeking in bankruptcy.

Its employees already have taken temporary pay cuts that give United until May 1 to secure long-term contract agreements. The pilots agreed to 29 percent wage reductions and flight attendants to 9 percent cuts; the bankruptcy court imposed 14 percent cutbacks on machinists, who include mechanics, ramp workers and customer contact workers.

Improving Loads

On Thursday, the airline announced that its traffic and its passenger load factor are up as compared to January of last year.

United flew more than 5.2 million passengers in January 2003, up 7.5 percent from the year before.

United operates nearly 1,700 flights a day on a route network that spans the globe.

Additional Resource:

United.com