United Airlines held a Jan. 17 ribbon-cutting at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in celebration of its newly expanded 56,000-square-foot Global Inflight Training Center.
The $32 million expansion project more than doubles the size of the facility with the addition of new classrooms, additional cabin and door training stations, and an aquatic center featuring a 125,000-gallon pool that will allow flight attendant trainees to practice safe evacuation strategies in the case of a water landing, officials said.
According to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, the air travel provider plans on hiring and training 15,000 people nationwide through the new facility in 2023. Kirby noted the training center will bring an estimated 1,800 jobs to the Greater Houston area this year.
“The flight attendants are the face of United Airlines,” Kirby said during the ribbon-cutting event. “How they, in particular, make customers feel is by far the most important thing that we do because we're a part of the most important moments of so many people's lives.”
