The Houston City Council has placed a temporary halt to United Airlines's proposal to renovate terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
United unveiled plans and images for the $2.6 billion renovation of the antiquated terminal earlier this year. Aiming to treble in size at George Bush Intercontinental, the airline had high hopes.
The airline intended to expand the terminal by installing additional aircraft and developing additional retail space within the structure.
The development and improvement were implemented at a time when Houston was considered vital to United's hub and spoke network. However, a $150 million allocation to the airline, which was intended to be funded by taxpayer funds, was halted by the City Council.
Chris Brown, the city controller, stated that his office was not informed of United's future intentions or its financing strategy for the expansion.
Brown stated that he could not grant the airline any taxpayer funds in good faith without additional information regarding the project and its intended use.
United detailed its intentions to the City of Houston Economic Development Committee during a public meeting on May 31. The airline then made renderings of the undertaking public and media-facing, with outlets utilizing portions of them.
United announced earlier this year its intention to invest $39 million in the enhancement of its training facility located in Houston.
United remains an outstanding business leader and partner in the City of Houston, connecting Houstonians to the world and investing in vital infrastructure projects that improve the travel experience for millions of passengers
In an effort to distinguish itself in the market, United recently issued a statement in which CEO Scott Kirby criticized low-cost carriers.