UNITED                                                                            News Release
 

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UAL REPORTS JULY RESULTS

Reports Net Earnings of $6 Million

Company Continues to Meet DIP Covenants

 

CHICAGO, August 26, 2004 - UAL Corporation (OTCBB: UALAQ.OB), the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, today filed its July Monthly Operating Report (MOR) with the United States Bankruptcy Court. The company reported earnings from operations of $51 million for July 2004. Mainline passenger unit revenue improved 1% year-over-year. Unit costs were flat over last year. Excluding fuel, unit costs improved 6% year-over-year. The company reported net earnings of $6 million, including $14 million in reorganization expenses. UAL met the requirements of its debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing.

"July is normally one of our most profitable months, and the fact that we were only able to deliver a modest net profit underscores the ongoing challenge of record-high fuel prices exacerbated by a weak revenue environment," said Jake Brace, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "The great work of our employees and the ongoing restructuring efforts helped us narrowly clear the fuel hurdle to record a small profit. But, we have much more work to do to make United a sustainable, competitive airline moving forward."

UAL ended July with a cash balance of about $2.1 billion, which included $818 million in restricted cash (filing entities only). The cash balance decreased approximately $153 million during the month of July, driven by a quarterly retroactive wage payment to International Association of Machinists members of $63 million, a final payment of $60 million to Bank One in connection with its debtor-in-possession financing and a quarterly Success Sharing reward to employees of $26 million.

United continued to deliver strong operational results, with an on-time :14 departure performance of 77.6% and a July load factor of 84.8%. Employees also exceeded the company's goals for July for customer satisfaction, as measured by definite intent to repurchase.

United, United Express and Ted operate more than 3,500 flights a day on a route network that spans the globe. News releases and other information about United may be found at the company's website at www.united.com.
 
 

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements included in this press release are forward-looking and thus reflect the Company's current expectations and beliefs with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks and uncertainties relating to the operations and business environments of the Company that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could significantly affect net earnings, revenues, expenses, costs, load factor and capacity include, without limitation, the following: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to operate pursuant to the terms of the DIP financing; the Company's ability to obtain court approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11 proceeding prosecuted by it from time to time; the Company's ability to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate one or more plans of reorganization with respect to the Chapter 11 cases; risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusive period for the Company to propose and confirm one or more plans of reorganization; the potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11 cases on the Company's liquidity or results of operations; the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee or conversion of the cases to Chapter 7; the costs and availability of financing; the Company's ability to execute its business plan; the Company's ability to attract, motivate and/or retain key employees; the Company's ability to attract and retain customers; demand for transportation in the markets in which the Company operates; general economic conditions; the effects of any hostilities or act of war or any terrorist attack; the ability of other air carriers with whom the Company has alliances or partnerships to provide the services contemplated by the respective arrangements with such carriers; the costs and availability of aircraft insurance; the costs of aviation fuel; the costs associated with security measures and practices; competitive pressures on pricing (particularly from lower-cost competitors); government legislation and regulation; and other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in UAL's reports to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Consequently, the forward-looking statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by the Company that such matters will be realized. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, unforeseen events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
 

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