From United:
Minor Schedule Changes Result From Return of
Aircraft to Leaseholders
----------------------------------------------------
As the company had anticipated, the 7th Circuit
Court in Chicago on Friday ruled that a temporary
restraining order on eight planes under negotiation
with a group of aircraft financiers has been
officially cancelled. Accordingly, the company is
in the process of returning four of the planes,
which are B767-300 aircraft, back to the group.
The return of these four aircraft will have a very
limited operational impact on United's schedule and
network. Chicago-Buenos Aires is the only route
that will be suspended, effective June 6 to Buenos
Aires and June 7 to Chicago. The route had
previously been planned for a seasonal suspension of
service from August through mid-December. The
remaining routes affected by the return of these
aircraft are domestic routes, which will be covered
by other aircraft. United will continue to serve
Buenos Aires via Washington Dulles, and we believe
that we will resume Chicago-Buenos Aires service in
December, when we typically adjust for seasonal
fluctuations in demand.
We have contingency plans in place to minimize the
inconvenience to our passengers, and all affected
customers will be contacted with rebooking options.
The company continues to negotiate new leases on the
other four aircraft, and while United hopes to gain
consensual resolution, it is not in the company's
financial interest to pay above-market rates for
these planes.