Originally Posted by
UA_Flyer
I think it has to be very specific. My travel to Australia and Singapore are back to pre-Covid level.
Japan should be back to normal by end of year, but HKG has lost its financial hub status and business attractiveness to ever get back to the old days. UA had written down route rights and investments in HK prior to Covid, so it is not like Covid was the primary reason for lack of demand in/out of HKG.
Regarding China, how long can UA keep extending China based 1Ks and elite members' status? Getting in and out of China is still a huge challenge with getting the right visa, pre and post arrival testing and quarantines. Then, there are geopolitical issues that may impact business travel demands.
Perhpas not a blanket extension of elite status, but I can see route specific promotion for double PQP, PQD or fast track elite earning promotion. If UA is generous, perhaps just downgrade status to one level below.
I'm one of those missing APAC 1Ks - and Japan is not going to get back to normal by the end of the year. They now require a visa from anyone and everyone visiting the country, and non-business/family travel is limited to people buying tourist packages at extremist prices from a handful of tour companies where you're not even allowed outside without an escort - you literally had more freedom on one of those North Korean tours, and from what I hear, it will be that way going forward for a long time. Requiring an actual visa from visitors is unprecedented. Taiwan is still closed, with little hope of re-opening to general visitors without a quarantine before end of the year, and even when they start to consider the option, no one has any idea what it will look like. Business travel and tourism to China is a non-starter, and that is probably hurting Kirby's pocketbook more than anything, aside from what is the quickening pace of companies moving production out of China that will deliver a long term hit on UA's revenue from that market.
So, my two usual destinations are closed - but I am looking for options to SIN/KUL/BKK/CGK just to get out of here, and take a trip to try and re-qualify, but the fares are not co-operating yet and given the flight loads across the board, I'm not so sure about any PQP bonus offers or extensions, unless there is an actual recession that sets in and crushes travel again.