United to transition to Continental operating certificate as part of merger

United Airlines A320. Photo: By Rob Finlayson.

United Airlines and Continental Airlines have agreed on a path to obtain a single operating certificate from FAA that will see the merged carriers retain the "legacy Continental operating certificate and the legacy United repair station certificate," according to UA VP-Corporate Safety, Security, Quality & Environment Michael Quiello.

The information was contained in a communication from Quiello to UA employees last week. Achieving an SOC "is a long-term process that will follow a series of steps in a transition plan that we will submit to FAA later this month," he said. It will "be the third and final stage in the merger process," following Closing Day, when the merger is legally completed, and Customer Day One, set for sometime next spring, when the two airlines' customer service systems are expected to be able to handle passengers from either airline. It is anticipated the SOC will take at least a year to accomplish from the date of the closing of the merger, expected by Oct. 1.

Although both operating certificates contain "unique" advantages, the CO certificate was selected "because of its enhanced technology authorizations and close conformity to standard FAA language as well as other regulatory and commercial considerations," Quiello stated. UA's maintenance certificate was selected because it "enables increased maintenance capabilities, enhanced repair station authorizations and greater maintenance volume."

As part of the merger process, the Continental Micronesia operation will be combined with Continental's ahead of the UA-CO SOC transition. At present, Continental Micronesia has its own operating certificate.