a boost for united

United Airlines announces major boost thanks to government bailout

United Airlines flight attendant stewardess cabin customer

The bailout will ensure Houston employees of United will continue to receive paychecks.

Photo courtesy of United Airlines

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grip America and wreak havoc on commerce, some industries are receiving government assistance. On April 15, two Texas airlines, Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and American Airlines Group Inc. (Fort Worth) announced billion-dollar bailouts from the U.S. government. Southwest will receive more than $3.2 billion; American Airlines will receive $5.8 billion, as CultureMap reported.

Following suit, United Airlines, which boasts a major hub in Houston, has announced it will receive approximately $5 billion in relief. The funds will come from the Payroll Support Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

As for the breakdown, approximately $3.5 billion will be a direct grant and approximately $1.5 billion will be a low interest rate loan, according to United.. These funds secured from the U.S. Treasury Department will be used to pay for the salaries and benefits of tens of thousands of United Airlines employees, many of whom reside in Houston.

Meanwhile, the airline's parent company also expects to issue warrants to purchase approximately 4.6 million shares of UAL common stock to the federal government, per a press release.

“These funds will cover a portion of our pay and benefits costs through September 30, and we are thankful for the support provided to our employees and their families by the CARES Act,” said United Airlines spokesperson Frank Benenati, in a statement. “This financial support is critical to our people, who are ensuring air service to communities throughout the country and supporting the shipment of much-needed medical supplies and travel of health care professionals around the globe.”

Other airlines receiving aid include Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and SkyWest Airline.

The move comes at a critical time for the industry. According to the New York Times, U.S. airlines had idled 2,200 aircraft and that passenger volume was down 95 percent from a year ago. Global passenger revenues are expected to fall by $314 billion this year, a 55 percent decline from last year, the International Air Transport Association.

transportation city-news-roundup

REVIVING THE ALAMO

Texas landmark the Alamo reclaims historic cannon from private ownership

Photo by Gower Brown/ Unsplash

A 90-pound cannon used in the Battle of the Alamo is returning to its San Antonio home.

It turns out the Alamo's original 1836 cannons are good for more than just defense — they also make a sturdy birdbath. After serving as a garden ornament for Samuel Maverick’s descendants, an authentic piece of San Antonio history is finally returning home to the revered mission.

According to an Alamo announcement, the swivel cannon weighs 90 pounds and is approximately three feet long. The relic was originally found in 1852 when Maverick built a home near the northwest corner of the battle’s site.

The lawyer and land baron was saved from death when he was urged by William Barret Travis to ride to the Texas Declaration of Independence convention in Washington-on-the-Brazos to send reinforcements. Returning to the Alamo’s grounds, he found a cache of cannons buried where the Hotel Gibbs sits today.

From there, the cannon wound up at the Maverick family’s Sunshine Ranch on the Northwest Side, where it was eventually incorporated into the garden DIY project. In 1955, the cannon was removed from the ranch, and the current location remained a mystery until the Alamo received a call from a Maverick relative in Corpus Christi.

Alamo cannon This Alamo artifact gives an idea of what the cannon will look like once restoration is complete.Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

“The relative graciously donated the cannon to the Alamo,” wrote a rep from the mission. “Alamo Senior Researcher and Historian Kolby Lanham and Head Conservator Pam Jary Rosser drove down the very next day to take this piece of history home to the Alamo.”

Although the artillery is mostly intact, it is missing its trunnions (the pivot-point protrusions on the sides of the barrel) and cascabel (the knob and neck assembly at the rear of historic muzzle-loading cannons). The parts were removed by the Mexican army to make the cannon inoperable.

Once preservation is complete, this cannon and the Alamo Collection’s other battle cannons will make their way to the upcoming Visitor Center and Museum, where they will be joined by rocker Phil Collins' collection of Alamo artifacts. The Alamo is in the midst of a $550 million preservation project, which includes conserving the Alamo Church, Long Barrack, and the mission’s original footprint. The museum is on track to debut in late 2027.

history museums artifacts texas history the alamo