Interesting if UA is sorting solely by fare class!

I wonder if J and PY are going out full then with all their booked passengers, and regular economy is the only cabin whose reservations are getting cancelled.

I observed few 857 flights in April.

J and PY were never full. Usually only 1/2 or 2/3 full at take-off.

Someone also reported that J pax got ticket canceled.

Maybe they're sorting by booking fare class?

On most days in April when 40% capacity cap stands, I looked at seat map after 857 took off.

Typically 30/60 J seats, 10/24 PY seats and 100/266 Y seats were occupied.

Total: 140/350=40%. Often the load was even slight less than that.

Why don't you move your nonsense trolling where it belongs, to OMNI PR?

If you're not interested in a serious discussion, this isn't the place for you.

Now let's pick up where #1834 left us with.

I've also heard it's close to impossible of finding space on a flight FROM China now, since plenty of flights simply gets cancelled.

This is getting worse.. the 2 years where 0-covid worked clearly made the Chinese leadership believing their strategy will be always better, without actually able to react to the changed reality of Omicron.

One of my Chinese friends just got out. Went from PEK-HKG-SFO yesterday and arrived last night. Says he'll probably be in the US for "at least 2 months". Not sure how long his US visa is good for, or exactly what he's planning to do here, and I'll probably find out some time this week when I meet him. I strongly suspect being tired of the 0 COVID crap over there though has something to do with it.

My mom has made it out of China on CA 987 PEK-LAX, which appears to be Sunday only flight; I saw that CA 609 also operated today.

I think UA 858 PVG-SFO is fairly wide open next several months to EOS.

Is transit through PVG allowed?

I got out on UA 858 yesterday. It was not full by any means but more crowded than the last two times I took it during the pandemic. It’s gonna be really hard to get back as I can’t find anything under $8k for July. Insane, almost as insane as continuing zero Covid like they seem set on doing. Here are some pics of my escape…you’ll see just how vibrant Shanghai has become.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b4a35e6e0.jpeg
Getting ready to get on the expressway to Pudong from Huangpu
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...27dea40e6.jpeg
Crossing the Lupu bridge into Pudong. Surprisingly light traffic 😂
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bd92a023a.jpeg
Same traffic situation as my taxi approaches PVG
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...01855d29d.jpeg
Wonder if I’ll be able to snag a trolly for my luggage with all the people fighting for them!
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...16c5f8a12.jpeg
Vibrant Pudong Airport
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d66918ac9.jpeg
Domestic travel is really booming in China these days.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5492aeb8d.jpeg
Gonna be a long wait at immigration!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4ce336834.jpeg
Most of the Chinese planes there had these engine warmers on, must be to get through the cold Shanghai night.

Good for you.

How did you get to PVG? Car service? How much did they charge?

And did you have to get permission from the neighborhood committee?

We want to go back in July too -- Shanghai American School starts in early August -- but I don't think it's realistic at this point. It seems more and more likely that we'll be spending the next schoolyear here in California.

Did you get upgraded?

858 fares are fairly cheap. Even J fare is only $5,000 these days. Upgrade is easy too.

But 857 is ridiculously expensive.

Update on my flight UA 857 on May 8.

Per suggestion from another GS, I called GS desk this morning and asked not to cancel my reservation. I explained the situation of 40% capacity of UA 857 mandated by the Chinese government. I told the agent that I planned this trip 6 months ago and I have already arrived in SFO to comply with requirements by PRC Consulate in SF about 7 day self isolation and 3 COVID tests. I told the agent that UA will soon, maybe today, cancel a lot of peoples tickets booked on the 5/8 flight to PVG. I asked the agent to talk to the China desk or send a message to protect me. The agent put me on hold, talked to her supervisor and told me that I am on the flight. She said that my ticket won't be canceled unless China throws another hardball at United which is out of United's hands.

Few hours later, about 100 people received notifications from United that their reservations on 5/8 UA 857 are canceled.

I would be shocked if they cancel my ticket, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

About 20 J seats are open, and only 6 people are on upgrade list. Everyone should eventually clear!

IF, IF they get the blue code from the PRC Consulate in SFO.... That is not a given.

lol you actually want to take UA 857 in a week? I thought this was a holiday?!

Why would you go to China now? I just escaped Shanghai and can't fathom a reason to go there outside of a parent/close relative being extremely sick there.