=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2003/09= /18/BUGTL1OVSM1.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, September 18, 2003 (SF Chronicle) United taking flight into low-fare skies/Southern California one of 14 dest= inations David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer United Airlines on Wednesday said it will launch its long-awaited low-fa= re unit in February from Denver International Airport. The still-unnamed unit, which has used the code-name Starfish, will fly initially to 14 locations, including one in California, before a rollout nationally, United spokespeople said. Ontario International Airport, in Southern California, is the only California destination among the original 14 destinations, which also include Reno, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New Orleans and Tampa, Fla. The new unit is designed in part to recapture once-lucrative business travelers, who have historically paid high walk-up fares and who have defected in recent years to low-fare carriers to save on travel costs during the three- year economic slump. United spokesman Jeff Green said San Francisco International Airport and other Golden State airports will eventually get the new service, but he would not supply a timetable. He also said United is not yet ready to reveal the name of the new unit, which will compete with established low-cost carriers such as Southwest, JetBlue, ATA, Air Trans and America West. United's new low-fare unit will also face a stiff challenge from discount carrier Frontier Airlines in Denver. United, which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since December and has lost some $7 billion since late 2000, is the second established network carrier to create its own low-fare arm, following Delta Air Lines, which started Song in April. United said its new low-fare unit would operate with assigned seats and sell on-board meals. E-mail David Armstrong at davidarmstrong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 SF Chronicle