US Airways Employees Give Back to the Community by Raising More Than $1.2 Million for United Way

US Airways’ (NYSE:LCC) 32,000 employees pledged more than $1.2 million to the airline’s annual "Hope Takes Flight” campaign to benefit the United Way. This year’s campaign, which ran between Sept. 23 and Nov. 13, contributed to the nearly $9.5 million US Airways employees have raised for United Way since 2000. The United Way works to address health and human needs in more than 1,300 communities across the country.

"Our 2011 United Way company goal was exceeded thanks to the generous spirit of our 32,000 employees,” said US Airways’ Chairman and CEO Doug Parker.

The "Hope Takes Flight” campaign is more than writing a check. US Airways employees participated in a variety of fundraising events, such as the ”Crewmember for a day” obstacle course, an online auction, as well as the airline’s popular Jet Pulls in its three hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Phoenix and Philadelphia. The winning team of employees in Philadelphia pulled a 50-ton Airbus A319 the required 15 feet in 4.44 seconds. The Jet Pulls are US Airways’ most popular United Way fundraiser; a record number of teams competed in 2011 and raised more than $20,000. View the video: http://bit.ly/vDK6OZ

"Improving lives and strengthening communities is a top priority for US Airways and all its employees,” said Merl Waschler, president and CEO of Valley of the Sun United Way. "Their passion for community and philanthropic leadership continues to fuel United Way’s work. That passion ensures that we are able to address the vital needs of children, seniors and families while building a stronger community for us all.”

US Airways employees routinely support their communities through volunteerism and other initiatives on a year-round basis. The airline’s dedicated corps of more than 3,200 Do Crew employees volunteer in Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Winston-Salem, N.C., New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Pittsburgh, and have volunteered more than 20,000 hours with 100 different nonprofit organizations in 2011.

About United Way

United Way is a worldwide network in 45 countries and territories, including nearly 1,300 local organizations in the U.S. It advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on the three key building blocks of education, income and health. The United Way movement creates long lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes of problems that prevent progress in these areas. LIVE UNITED is a call to action for everyone to become a part of the change. For more information about United Way, please visit: LIVEUNITED.org.

About US Airways

US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,000 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The airline employs more than 32,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers its customers more than 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 airports in 189 countries. Together with its US Airways Express partners, the airline serves approximately 80 million passengers each year and operates hubs in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Phoenix, and a focus city in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. US Airways was the only airline included as one of the 50 best companies to work for in the U.S. by LATINA Style magazine’s 50 Report for 2010 and 2011. For six years in a row, the airline also earned a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality index. The Corporate Equality index is a leading indicator of companies’ attitudes and policies toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and customers. US Airways also ranked #1 among its competing hub-and-spoke network carriers for 2010 performance as rated by the Wichita State University/Purdue University Airline Quality Rating (AQR). For more company information visit usairways.com, follow on Twitter @USAirways or at Facebook.com/USAirways. (LCCG)

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