United's low-cost operation moving forward as it shrinks Dateline: Tuesday June 17, 2003 United Airlines continues to make progress toward launching its proposed low-cost carrier even as it scales back expectations for the initiative, which was to have been the centerpiece of its restructured domestic network strategy. During a management briefing last week, LCC leader Sean Donahue said he expects to present a business plan to senior leadership for the unit within the next couple of weeks. It will include recommendations for the type and number of aircraft to be used, markets to be served, product offering, schedules and a timetable for launch. At the same time, Donohue acknowledged that the size and scope of the low-cost operation has changed significantly compared to the role envisioned in United's Plan for Transformation presented to creditors at the end of Jan. That plan called for the LCC to assume as much as 35% of United's domestic seat capacity operating a fleet of 134 aircraft and flying to 37 of UA's 81 domestic cities. A United spokesperson told ATWOnline that the company has said publicly a "number of times" that the LCC likely will be smaller than originally anticipated. Donahue also said the operation will be significantly more cost effective than the defunct Shuttle by United product and will have costs lower than some of the budget airlines currently operating.--Perry Flint *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************