Pacific region offers 'friendly skies' for United Airlines

BEIJING - United Airlines, the world's largest transpacific carrier, said it's seeing a "real recovery" across the Pacific region, especially in China, thanks to corporate customers' growing confidence in the world economic recovery.

"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.