HOUSTON, May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- United co-workers today are teaming up with Houston-area public schools for a Career Day event at Black Elementary School. From pilots and flight attendants to the airline's head chef in Food Services to the athletic trainer in Airport Operations, the United employees will speak with students and will provide them with a unique opportunity to ask questions and to learn first-hand the important role education plays in developing a career in the aviation industry.

This is United's fifth year participating in Career Day events with Aldine Independent School District. On May 4, United co-workers also visited classrooms in a Career Day event at Aldine Middle School. "It's an honor to give back to the community like this, and it's extra special for me as I was a student at Aldine many years ago," says United Airport Operations Safety Supervisor Gary Snead. "Each time we do this, my co-workers and I are always in awe of the students' curiosity and enthusiasm to hear from us. It's why we come back year after year!"

United proudly supports hundreds of Houston community organizations that provide opportunities for youth, connect the city with arts and culture, work to improve lives through health and education, and improve the environment. United's 17,000 Houston-based co-workers offer their time, talents and energy to make an impact in their community. United continues to connect Houston to the world, but just as importantly, United partners with more than 300 local organizations to address needs and issues in order to improve lives and to promote change for the better.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,605 flights a day to 375 airports on six continents from our hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 125 new aircraft deliveries from 2012 through 2019, including 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 25 Airbus A350XWBs. United was rated the world's most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2012 airline-industry list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 190 countries via 25 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 (NYX) under the symbol UAL.

CONTACT: United Continental Holdings, Inc. Worldwide Media Relations, +1-312-997-8640, media.relations@united.com

SOURCE United Continental Holdings, Inc.