United Airlines unveils refreshed airport check-in lobby
BY SKYLER OBISPO
Journal Staff
United Airlines hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 1 for its newly remodeled check-in lobby at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport.
The updated lobby includes redesigned ceilings, flooring, and a new back wall, along with refreshed branding consistent with major United hubs such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.
United Airlines hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 1 at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport. Photo by Skyler Obispo
The redesign also introduces both a self-service zone and an assisted-service zone. New kiosks allow travelers to access the same features available on the United app and website.
The redesigned layout allows agents to assist customers directly rather than from behind counters.
“There’s nothing that you can’t do,” said United’s managing director of airport operations in Asia and Pacific, Samuel V. Shinohara. “Not only is it new technology and cooler technology, … it’s 50% faster than our old technology before.”
United General Manager Tammy Castro said the lobby’s systems were tested over the Thanksgiving holiday, during which the airline saw “a significant difference in efficiency and ease of the check-in process.”
Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero described the upgrades a “great leap of advancement to a very much customer centric approach to traveling.”
She also requested that the airline increase flights between Guam and Saipan, citing weekend travel opportunities and economic benefits.
The remodeled lobby is one of several upgrades United plans for Guam and the Asia-Pacific region.
United Airline’s self-serve kiosks. The new kiosks allow travelers to access the same features available on the United app and website. Photo by Skyler Obispo
Shinohara said United’s Guam-based fleet will be replaced next year with retrofitted Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The first plane is expected to arrive in February, with one aircraft arriving each month thereafter.
“So before the end of the year, whether you’re flying to Japan, the Philippines, Taipei, or Palau or anywhere across Micronesia, look out for a new fantastic experience,” he said.
The retrofitted aircraft will feature on-demand in-flight entertainment, space for one full-size carry-on per passenger, medical stretcher capability, and modernized interiors.
Lt. Gov. Joshua F. Tenorio said that United has been a long-time partner for Guam when it comes to peace and security.
“[United is] a lifeline for us. We see that during our natural disasters and especially during COVID, when [the airline] provided relief flights and brought in the first of the vaccines that helped save many lives on Guam,” he said.
Tenorio said the additions of the spaces for stretchers reinforces United’s role in helping Guam residents get the healthcare they need.
Despite lagging arrival numbers, both the Guam Visitors Bureau and the Guam International Airport Authority said United remains integral to the island’s tourism recovery.
“Without United, there is no tourism recovery,” said GVB chairman George Chiu. “United is truly our hometown carrier.”
“We like to think of this airport as the gateway to Micronesia and we really can’t do it without [the governor’s] support and the investment that United has made throughout the region,” said GIAA chairman Brian J. Bamba. mbj
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