Hangar Will Be Airline's First At The Airport

Ground was broken late last week on United Airline's first widebody aircraft maintenance hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), a major United hub and the airline's principal gateway to the Middle East. United expects to complete construction of the hangar in fall 2013.

United is investing nearly $45 million in the construction of the 125,000 square foot hangar, which will enable the airline to perform maintenance simultaneously on two widebody airplanes. United employs nearly 300 technical operations workers at Washington Dulles, with more than 6,000 employees throughout the Washington area.

"Construction of this facility underscores United's investment in our people, our customers, the Washington region and the Virginia economy," said Kate Gebo, United's vice president of corporate real estate. "With ongoing investments in terminal amenities, gate areas, lounges and employee facilities, United continues to shape Dulles into a modern global gateway for customers and United co-workers."

More than 200 area construction workers will build the facility.

"Since Dulles International Airport opened almost 50 years ago, it has grown into a world-class hub for domestic and international air service," said John E. Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. "United has been a major partner in that growth since nearly the beginning. We look forward to the new opportunities that partnership will bring in the years to come."

United maintains maintenance hangars at its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles and is currently constructing a new widebody hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport.

FMI: www.united.com, http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/dulles.htm