Originally Posted by
BenA
Microsoft does have operations in HKG, as in most major cities - but to the best of my knowledge, their main Asia Pacific corporate presence is in Singapore. Traffic to HKG would largely be from hardware engineering folks intending to visit factories and partners in Shenzhen, and the Xiamen flight will cover that traffic perfectly fine. I actually think Microsoft would be more impacted by the loss of connectivity to Taipei, where many computer manufacturers are located, than by the loss of an HKG direct. (I assume they just use the EVA Air flight instead for TPE, though.)
Without revealing too much about my job, I can only tell you your assumption is wrong. There is also another large company in Seattle with equal need to go to Shenzhen that is currently using Delta almost exclusively. They even send their California people up through SEA to go to Asia... EVA flight doesn't benefit MS employees as it does to the PC suppliers, which are mostly Taiwan-based.
At the end of the day, if we have to constantly fly codeshare partners, then what's the point of keeping Delta. None of the elite benefits works on codeshare partner. I tried to GUC a Korean Air flight and couldn't get it done. DM desk knows this benefit but no one knows how to execute it, and Korean Air is the only Asian partner that supposedly allow GUC. I fly Delta because the seats are wider and softer, and they are always on-time and even in economy, they feed you enough so you are not hungry.
I am 5'8, 145lbs, and every time I do a flight on Asian airlines (CI, KE, MU, FM, MF) I am hungry and nearly in fainting and dehydrated state when I land. All of them serve only 2 small meals with no midnight snack... Just in case you don't know, KE's bibimbap is mostly chopped veggie with a large bowl of rice...with a small side of pickle and no dessert. You can eat off everything and lick the plate clean and you will still be hungry in 2 hours. Heck, even the water is served in an espresso shot size cup instead of a full bottle.
Delta caters to Americans, both in our physical size (for the seat) and appetite (for food portion and alcohol)...
At this rate, United is the only full pledge international airline left in the US.
Come to think of it, I know NRT like the back of my hand - every store and shop... even the CI and KE lounge attendant knows me by name... I really do not want to know more about ICN... Every freakin' connection flight is a nightmare and I am 6 down since 5/1...