UAL CEO unexpectedly to step down CHICAGO, April 30 (Reuters) - United Airlines parent UAL Corp. (UAL) said on Tuesday its interim chief executive, hired last year after unions demanded his predecessor resign, is unexpectedly also stepping down just as the No. 2 U.S. airline tries to forge a concession deal with workers. In a prepared statement, Chief Executive Jack Creighton said he was brought on board temporarily, and he would now assist the company in finding a new CEO. Creighton was a UAL board member when he was named CEO, although he had no experience running an airline. The resignation comes at a critical juncture for the carrier, which has lost billions in the wake of Sept. 11. The attacks involved two UAL planes. The first-quarter loss was $510 million, on top of a record $2.1 billion loss for 2001. "I was brought in for the short term to stabilize United and improve the relationship between management and employees," Creighton said. "We have made some important strides in each of these areas, and I will continue to focus on those priorities as we search for my replacement." UAL also said it retained Russell Reynolds Associates to conduct a nationwide search for candidates. The board was meeting on Tuesday in suburban Chicago as a regularly scheduled event. UAL shares slipped 33 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $14.09 in Tuesday trade on the New York Stock Exchange. The news came after the market close. Shares of United remain about 50 percent below their pre-Sept. 11 levels. ©2002 Reuters Limited.