United Airlines’ honorary representative, Ernestine the Brachiosaurus at Terminal 1 of Chicago O’Hare International Airport is helping the US carrier celebrate its centennial, decked in its brand colors.
What began with a single airmail flight from Pasco WA to Elko NV, back on 6 April 1926, has since grown into one of the world’s largest airlines, with a fleet of almost 1,100 aircraft, and a network of more than 350 destinations across six continents.
The past century has seen United develop from a national airmail provider into an international carrier. Alongside airmail and general cargo, United Airlines now offers specialized cargo services for pharmaceuticals, perishables, time-critical shipments and high-value goods. Paper and manual processes have given way to increasingly intelligent digital operations, boosting punctuality, efficiency, and shipment visibility.
United was the first carrier to offer non-stop transcontinental flights without overnight stops, using a Boeing 247, and, more recently, became the first global airline to commit to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is the largest purchaser and user of SAF in the US.
It could be argued that United has a longer pedigree than Ernestine; the glass-fibre replica skeleton only dates back to 1993.
