"The Pacific is showing its traditional strength and moving at a faster rate compared to our other international markets. Our load factors are improving more quickly than yields, but our unit revenue per seat in the first quarter is significantly better than the same period in 2009," said Glenn Tilton, chairman and CEO of United Airlines.
Chicago-based United resumed its daily nonstop service between Washington and Beijing on March 28 after a five-month suspension.
"When I talked to companies, such as Caterpillar, Motorola and McDonald's in Chicago, each one of them realized that to compete in the global economy, it is time to get their managers and executives back traveling again for the purpose of securing businesses," Tilton said in an interview on Tuesday.
A recent KPMG global business outlook report showed that companies around the world, especially manufacturing enterprises, are becoming more confident about a global economic recovery.
Optimism remains highest in the United States and Brazil, Russia, India and China, known collectively as BRIC nations.
Business activity across the globe is widely expected to rise during the next 12 months, according to the global survey of 11,000 companies.
The airline industry, which suffered from falling travel demand since late 2008, may start to breathe a collective sigh of relief this year, said Li Lei, an aviation analyst at CITIC China Securities.
"China's fast growing domestic air travel market, despite the global downturn, was the most eye-catching phenomenon last year. I believe a rebound in international routes to and from China is really worth watching this year," Li said.
AMR Corp's American Airlines will also launch a daily nonstop service between Chicago and Beijing starting on April 27. The Fort Worth, Texas-headquartered airline won the right to fly the route in 2007 and originally planned to start the service last year.
1 2 Next
