United Airlines to offer non-stop Chengdu (CTU)-SFO service (11 June 2014)
Aug 29, 2013, 6:59 am
#3
Company Representative, United Airlines
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Some of you were up late 
Look out for something on our side of the ocean in a few hours...
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
Look out for something on our side of the ocean in a few hours...
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
Aug 29, 2013, 7:33 am
#4
Join Date: May 2011
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/tr..._132674765.htm
United Airlines to offer non-stop Chengdu-San Francisco service
United Airlines to offer non-stop Chengdu-San Francisco service
CHENGDU, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Airlines is to offer a non-stop service between Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and San Francisco of the United States from June 11 next year.
Aug 29, 2013, 7:47 am
#5
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I think this is an excellent new route for UA, in that it truly is a new market. CAN, SZX historically spill a lot of traffic to HKG (and v.v.) where UA has extensive service, BKK/SIN are long/thin routes that are already adequately served on UA metal, MNL is a low-yield/high-volume market that probably is not the best use of a 787-8, and AKL is an existing NZ route.
Thus, I would wager most passengers UA plans to carry on the SFO-CTU route will probably be new customers, between the local demand stimulated by a new service and the previous lack of a nonstop option to the USA. As noted, the Sichuan province is growing at a strong rate and there are considerable advantages to being the first-mover in the market to a strong connecting hub with the right airplane. The market will continue to grow, and UA can grow service there in kind.
If people are looking for out-of-the-box thinking from UA, this is it.
Thus, I would wager most passengers UA plans to carry on the SFO-CTU route will probably be new customers, between the local demand stimulated by a new service and the previous lack of a nonstop option to the USA. As noted, the Sichuan province is growing at a strong rate and there are considerable advantages to being the first-mover in the market to a strong connecting hub with the right airplane. The market will continue to grow, and UA can grow service there in kind.
If people are looking for out-of-the-box thinking from UA, this is it.
Last edited by EWR764; Aug 29, 2013 at 7:52 am
Aug 29, 2013, 7:49 am
#6
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I don't either, but lots of folks I know in tech and manufacturing are sending capacity over there and making business trips (as in paid premium) regularly.
Hard though it might be to believe, UA serves the demand of business travelers rather than the vacation needs of FTers.
Aug 29, 2013, 7:58 am
#7
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+1 ^ I'm maintaining my skepticism, for now, that 3x/wk can work, but this is the 787. It's supposedly designed for this kind of thin route, so it'll be interesting to see how things panda out. Smisek has said many times that the 787 is a "game changer." Kudos to him on this one for putting his words into action.
Aug 29, 2013, 8:02 am
#8
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Just because you don't work for one of the many companies that's doing business in this part of China doesn't make it a bad decision.
I don't either, but lots of folks I know in tech and manufacturing are sending capacity over there and making business trips (as in paid premium) regularly.
Hard though it might be to believe, UA serves the demand of business travelers rather than the vacation needs of FTers.
I don't either, but lots of folks I know in tech and manufacturing are sending capacity over there and making business trips (as in paid premium) regularly.
Hard though it might be to believe, UA serves the demand of business travelers rather than the vacation needs of FTers.
Aug 29, 2013, 8:22 am
#11
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Just because you don't work for one of the many companies that's doing business in this part of China doesn't make it a bad decision.
I don't either, but lots of folks I know in tech and manufacturing are sending capacity over there and making business trips (as in paid premium) regularly.
Hard though it might be to believe, UA serves the demand of business travelers rather than the vacation needs of FTers.
I don't either, but lots of folks I know in tech and manufacturing are sending capacity over there and making business trips (as in paid premium) regularly.
Hard though it might be to believe, UA serves the demand of business travelers rather than the vacation needs of FTers.
Aug 29, 2013, 8:24 am
#12
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Aug 29, 2013, 8:33 am
#14
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