Originally Posted by
764toHI
Are there any "Tier 1" slots available for UA to reconsider SFO-CAN under the US-China bilateral?
Yes there are. The last expansion of the bilateral required that 7 (weekly) of the additional frequencies had to be set aside to serve CAN (the 2008 frequencies) and they haven't been taken up on the US side. NW was already CAN from NRT but dropped the route in 2009.
(2) In addition to the frequencies available under paragraph (1) above, the designated airlines of each Party shall be entitled to operate weekly frequencies for combination services on Routes LA or ILA of Annex I on flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (hereinafter "China Zone 1") or to and from Fujian, Guangdong (except Guangzhou), Hebei, Jiangsu, Shandong, Tianjin, and Zhejiang (hereinafter "China Zone 2") according to the following schedule :
(a) Effective August 1, 2004 : an additional 14 weekly frequencies
(b) Effective March 25, 2005 : an additional 7 weekly frequencies
(c) Effective March 25, 2006 : an additional 7 weekly frequencies
(d) Effective March 25, 2007 : an additional 7 weekly frequencies
(e) Effective August 1, 2007 : an additional 7 weekly frequencies
(f) Effective March 25, 2008 : an additional 7 weekly frequencies
(restricted to nonstop Guangzhou service)
(g) Effective March 25, 2009 : an additional 28 weekly frequencies
(h) Effective March 25, 2010 : an additional 21 weekly frequencies
(f) Effective March 25, 2011 : an additional 14 weekly frequencies
(g) Effective March 25, 2012 : an additional 14 weekly frequencies
https://www.state.gov/e/eb/rls/othr/ata/c/ch/114749.htm