OREANDA-NEWS. Just weeks after opening its new Global Services reception lobby at Newark Liberty International Airport, United Airlines today unveiled its latest investment in the New York area's largest hub airport - a new widebody aircraft maintenance hangar.

United invested USD 35 million to construct the facility, which will help support the airline's widebody aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350-XWB, which United will begin flying in 2018. The hangar also expands United's maintenance capability for widebodies by 33 percent at Newark Liberty.

"This state-of-the-art hangar underscores United's commitment to the city of Newark, the state of New Jersey and the region," said Ken Burtt, United's senior vice president of technical operations. "The facility will be an asset to our operation, helping us improve the reliability of our aircraft, maintain the highest levels of safety, and provide a superior workplace for our employees."

United has more than 13,000 employees in the New York metropolitan area, 700 of whom are dedicated to technical operations and maintenance at Newark Liberty. Construction of the 90,000-square-foot hangar also had a significant economic impact on the region, as more than 600 local workers helped build the facility.

"United Airlines' investment of nearly USD 35 million in its new 21st century hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport is further evidence of the carrier's longstanding commitment to New Jersey,'' said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Deb Gramiccioni. "The Port Authority is especially pleased this widebody aircraft hangar is designed to serve larger aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the newer generation of planes for our passengers."

In November 2013, United also completed construction of a 125,000-square-foot maintenance hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport. Together with this new hangar at Newark, United has significantly increased its maintenance capabilities on the East Coast.