Originally Posted by
kevanyalowitz
You are missing the point. United is cutting routes that aren't making money is fine. However, they aren't making money on these routes because they are allowing the competition to own markets (SEA) where UA was once strong. SEA-NRT has been around longer than any other United international route - why did it go from being profitable over the long term to unprofitable?
SEA-NRT was never really strong. It was the last TPAC PMUA route to get IPTE (remember the dreaded recliner C 772s? Yeah, those were on SEA-NRT to the bitter end) and NH limped in with a 787.
It's a weak route that only barely makes sense with a 787 and it just happens that NH is the one to provide it.