BUSINESS AS USUAL UNITED FILING WON'T HIT HOME.

Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer

BURBANK - United Airlines' expected bankruptcy filing - that could come as soon as today - would have no immediate impact on the carrier's service at Burbank Airport, officials said.

More than 50 employees and 36,000 monthly travelers at Burbank Airport - where United accounts for about 10 percent of passenger traffic - would be unaffected by a Chapter 11 filing, said United Airlines spokesman Alan Wayne.

``We will be open for business - miles will be honored and flights will arrive and depart at normal times,'' Wayne said.

Although United Airlines is based in Chicago, more than a quarter of its 83,000 employees work in California, where the carrier provides

essential service from smaller city airports, like Burbank, to major hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

United is the largest passenger carrier at Los Angeles International Airport, where 6,000 people work for the airline. The carrier supplies 8 percent of the airport's annual revenue with $39 million in landing fees and rentals.

According to Wayne and an e-mail sent out to United Mileage Plus passengers, a bankruptcy reorganization would not hamper services throughout California.

``I want to be emphatically clear that United will continue to fly and deliver exceptional service ...'' stated an e-mail addressed to United customers and signed by Senior Vice President Chris Bowers.

Burbank Airport Authority spokesman Victor Gill echoed that stance.

``The bankruptcy does not mean anything for the immediate future. It's a longer term question - it's either a successful way to reorganize or not,'' Gill said. ``For the immediate future, passengers will find normal service from Burbank to S.F. and Denver.''

Gill said that even if United eventually cuts back services to Burbank, the northern Los Angeles County market is so healthy that another carrier would move in quickly.

``There will be commerce and travel between San Francisco and the Greater L.A. area at all times, and Burbank is one of the principal portals for that route,'' Gill said. ``Sooner or later an airline would take advantage of the opportunity to serve - it's a very lucrative marketplace.''

Southwest Airlines - which flies from Burbank to San Jose and Oakland - is Burbank's principal carrier, accounting for 65 percent of the travel traffic, Gill said.

United accounts for half of passenger traffic at San Francisco International Airport, where the company employs 14,000 people. Nearly 1,200 people work for United at Oakland's airport; the airline runs a quarter of the flights in and out of Sacramento.

Wednesday, the federal government denied United's request for a $1.8 billion loan guarantee that could have helped stave off bankruptcy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Passengers wait in line at the United Airlines terminal at Burbank Airport.

(2) Today's expected bankruptcy protection filing by United Airlines shouldn't have an impact on business out of Burbank Airport.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer