United Air to Move Operations Staff to Suburb in Blow to Chicago

United Airlines Holdings Inc. plans to move the network operations center that coordinates its flights globally to a Chicago suburb next year, slashing headcount at the carrier’s world headquarters at Blackstone Inc.’s Willis Tower.

The move was announced internally on Thursday and would affect about 900 employees such as managers and technical support staff, United said. About 400 flight dispatchers could eventually join them. The airline is in contract talks with their union, whose collective bargaining agreement requires that they be based at Willis, according to Craig Symons, the union’s leader.

Willis Tower, center, in Chicago.

Photographer: Taylor Glascock/Bloomberg

Another 2,500 headquarters staffers will continue ...