Bill: I'm looking for them to develop a new logo and aircraft scheme and then re-paint all their ground equipment. Now that's real, corporate thinking. Mike Burris Cambridge, Mass --- Bill Hough <psa188@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > This is just the thing a loss-making airline that's > alienated its > employees needs to be concerned with right now. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > This article was sent to you by someone who found it > on SFGate. > The original article can be found on SFGate.com > here: > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2006/05/11/BUG3RIPBDQ= > 1.DTL > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Thursday, May 11, 2006 (SF Chronicle) > United seeking a new world HQ > David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer > > > The parent company of United Airlines, the > dominant airline at San > Francisco International Airport, is considering > moving to a new corporate > headquarters, the airline confirmed Wednesday. > Reports of a possible move surfaced in Crain's > Chicago Business, which > said UAL Corp. is considering downtown Chicago, > Denver and San Francisco > as possible locations. United is headquartered near > O'Hare International > Airport in suburban Elk Grove Township, outside > Chicago. > "We are looking at all of our facilities to see > where we could benefit > from consolidation," said United spokeswoman Jean > Medina, who emphasized > that no decisions about moving have been made. > "Looking at this is something corporations do all > the time," Medina said, > allowing that UAL -- which spent nearly three years > in bankruptcy and has > not made a profit since 2000 -- is looking at > reconfiguring its physical > plants as a way to reduce its operating costs. > Medina said UAL has retained the Staubach Co., -- > a real estate firm > headed by its namesake, former Dallas Cowboys > quarterback Roger Staubach. > "We would be delighted to have United here in the > Bay Area," said John > Martin, director of San Francisco International > Airport, which United uses > as a hub. > Martin said he plans to get in touch with the > airline to discuss the > situation with executives. > Martin said United and the Bay Area would be a > natural fit. "United is a > major employer in the Bay Area, and Asian traffic is > the fastest-growing > market," Martin said of SFO. > Martin also cited the Bay Area's highly educated > workforce and its > entrepreneurial spirit as additional reasons UAL > should consider > relocating here. > At Local 9 of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal > Association, which > represents United's union mechanics, the local's > vice president, Brian > McKeenan, said his members had only just become > aware of the news and had > no information about a move. > "I think it is unlikely," McKeenan said. > "Executives always complain abo= > ut > the cost of living here. I've been to their world > headquarters. They have > a plush arrangement in Elk Grove, with the low cost > of living and the cost > of gas and so on." > Peter Ragone, press secretary for San Francisco > Mayor Gavin Newsom, did > not immediately return a phone call asking City Hall > to comment. > United has 53,000 employees, with about 3,500 at > its corporate > headquarters. The company employs 11,000 people in > Northern California, > down from 20,000 before the high-tech slump, > nationwide economic recession > and Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks reduced demand > from travelers and > curtailed corporate travel budgets. > UAL has been headed since autumn 2002 by Glenn > Tilton, who lived in San > Francisco when he served as a senior executive at > Chevron Corp. prior to > taking the top job at United. > > E-mail David Armstrong at > davidarmstrong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --------------= > -------------------------------------------------------- > Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com