Originally Posted by Longboater

And it appears Americans are having a blast with RAK/CPT. During NW 2025-2026, DL/UA combined will be fly to CPT nearly double daily, 13 times a week to be precise. Once DL starts taking delivery of the 20 A35Ks they have on order, strong possibility DL flies them on at least ATL-JNB, which would enable them to possibly reduce frequency get CPT to daily or upgauge ATL-CPT to a A35K. DL has entered the RAK market now, ATL-RAK thrice weekly during NW 2025-2026, going daily during Christmas/New Years and UA is upping the frequency from three to four times a week on EWR-RAK, with it going daily to RAK December 21, 2025-January 6, 2026. Basically, it took only a rear from no RAK service, to it be operated on a daily basis on average and double daily during Christmas/New Years.

The only real flop recently by UA's longhaul international department was the over-expansion to the South Pacific, although to be fair DL also flopped as well. LAX-BNE spectacularly flamed out before it was supposed to end at completion of the 2023-2024 NW schedule. SFO-BNE seems to be doing better but no upgauging next NW season, sticking with the 772. UA isn't even flying the 77W downunder during peak season. The daily SFO-SYD is staying as a 772 and the second frequency starts in December is also a 772. Well, I would say if these flights were really struggling, UA would have found a way to fly the 789s on these routes, i.e. take them off double daily SFO-ICN and four times weekly SFO-PPT, and fly them downunder instead. Incidentally, I noticed that UA is keeping the 789 on SFO-PPT during NW 2025-2026 but is still dropping the Sunday frequency. UA probably did better than expected this past NW in Polaris using the 788 that those extra 20 Polaris seats should be helpful, not to mention losing a competitor with DL dropping thrice weekly LAX-PPT.