United Airlines Proudly Sponsors International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association Global Convention in Chicago

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May 01, 2013, 02:07 ET

CHICAGO, May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines, an official sponsor of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Global Convention, welcomes tourism professionals from more than 20 countries as they meet in Chicago for the organization's 30^th annual event May 2 – 4.

IGLTA, one of the world's leading travel networks, is dedicated to connecting and educating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) travelers and the businesses that welcome and support them along the way.

"With more than 85,000 co-workers from around the world, United proudly celebrates the richness of not just our employees' diverse backgrounds, but our customers' too," said Dave Hilfman, United's senior vice president of worldwide sales, during the IGLTA press conference today at the Willis Tower Skydeck. "As we say, diversity flies with us. And United is honored to sponsor IGLTA's convention in Chicago this year."

The airline has a long-standing relationship with IGLTA spanning more than 10 years.

This sponsorship aligns with United's commitment to create a work environment where all its employees across the world feel included and empowered to make a measurable difference in its success. United offers policies, programs, benefits, privileges and recognition designed to reward and support the success of its diverse workforce.

Earlier this year, Equality Illinois named United 2013 Business Leader of the Year for its LGBT policies. In 2012, United received a perfect score for the fifth consecutive year on the 2013 Corporate Equality Index, an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that ranks top companies on their policies regarding LGBT employees.

About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,446 flights a day to more than 370 airports across six continents. In 2012, United and United Express carried more passenger traffic than any other airline in the world and operated nearly two million flights carrying 140 million customers. United is investing in upgrading its onboard products and now offers more flat-bed seats in its premium cabins and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any airline in North America. In 2013, United became the first U.S.-based international carrier to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi on long-haul overseas routes. The airline also features DIRECTV® on nearly 200 aircraft, offering customers more live television access than any other airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has made large-scale investments in its fleet. In 2013, United will continue to modernize its fleet by taking delivery of more than two dozen new Boeing aircraft. The company expanded its industry-leading global route network in 2012, launching nine new international and 18 new domestic routes. Business Traveler magazine awarded United Best Airline for North American Travel for 2012, and readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for nine consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 194 countries via 27 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