CHICAGO, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines' first 787-9 Dreamliner rolled out of final assembly Tuesday evening at Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility. The rollout marks the first major milestone in the aircraft's production ahead of its expected delivery this summer. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is the second and newest member of the fuel-efficient 787 family. With the fuselage stretched 20 feet longer than the 787-8, United's 787-9 will fly more than 30 additional passengers and up to 300 nautical miles farther with the same exceptional environmental performance, including up to 20 percent less fuel burn per seat and up to 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized aircraft. The airline is the North American launch customer for the aircraft.

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"The 787-9 is an amazing aircraft that builds on the 787-8's proven fuel efficiency, performance and customer comfort," said Ron Baur, United's vice president of fleet. "We are excited to add the 787-9 to our Dreamliner fleet as it gives us even more flexibility and range to capitalize on our extensive worldwide route network."

Earlier this year, United announced that it will fly the 787-9 on nonstop service between its hub at Los Angeles International Airport and Melbourne, Australia, beginning in October. The airline will fly the route six times weekly with the aircraft. United will be the first North American carrier to take delivery of the 787-9, and this will be the airline's first international deployment of the aircraft type.

Over the next several months, the aircraft will move to the next phase of completion, which includes final cabin configuration and painting. United's 787-9 will be configured with 252 seats – 48 in United BusinessFirst and 204 in United Economy, including 88 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space. United's first 787-9 will also be one of five aircraft used by Boeing in a flight test program to certify the aircraft.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The 787 Dreamliner is revolutionizing the flying experience for United customers and crews while delivering unprecedented operating efficiency, comfort and lower emissions. In 2013, United's 787 had the highest customer satisfaction scores of any aircraft in its fleet. To date, United has flown its 787 fleet more than 30,000 hours on over 4,400 flights. The airline now operates 10 787 Dreamliners with an additional 55 on order, including the 787-9. The 787-9 leverages the visionary design of the 787-8, offering passengers features such as large windows, large overhead bins, modern LED lighting, higher humidity, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and a smoother ride.

About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of more than 5,300 flights a day to more than 360 airports across six continents. In 2013, United and United Express carried more passenger traffic than any other airline in the world and operated nearly two million flights carrying 139 million customers. United is delivering a more flyer-friendly experience, offering more premium-cabin flat-bed seats and extra-legroom, economy-class seating than any airline in North America. In 2013, United became the first U.S. global carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi, including on long-haul overseas routes. The airline also features DIRECTV® on more than 200 aircraft, with more live television access than any airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and, in 2014, will take delivery of 35 new Boeing aircraft and welcome 28 new E175 aircraft to United Express. Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel for 2013, and readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the Best Frequent-Flyer program for 10 consecutive years. Air Transport World named United the Eco-Aviation Airline of the Year Gold Winner in 2013. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 195 countries via 26 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

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SOURCE United Airlines