bzcat

Could be any number of maintenance issue. I wouldn't automatically assume it has something to do with the pilots or landing in windy ops. ONT being an out station means it will take longer to deal with anything that may require parts or length ground inspection.

I mean it could be something totally innocuous like a clogged toilet or broken oven in the galley.

26volt

One of the workers just posted on ONT's planespotter's page, and you're right. They just needed a replacement part.

hayzel7773

You'd be surprised how well BR and CI pilots land in the wind. Year round, they face some pretty nasty winds at TPE because of it's location and direction in addition to the pre-typhoon and post-typhoon winds throughout the summer.

26volt

Coolfish let us know if CI has notified you, though either CI's website is being wonky or they've cut the route since they're not selling tickets on their website. I checked various dates, from 1/14, 2/14, 3/18 and only get the message, 'Sorry, your itinerary is temporarily not available.'

tris06

I think if it was truely being cancelled they would not just stop selling seats before announcing it was cutting the route. Flights flying out in 4-5 days are definately going to happen. So most likely a system error.

coolfish1103

My ticket is still valid. Those aren't the dates I am flying though.

hayzel7773

Although this probably isn't the case for this time, airlines often do stop selling seats (or restrict seats to the highest fare class only) prior to the announcement.

GDS still shows plenty of seats available in all fare buckets except X/L/S

coolfish1103

It seems like TPE-ONT vv has been filling with the time change and aircraft swap.

I am wondering if there is a market for TPE-NRT-ONT vv where CI can utilize the fifth freedom that's no longer in operation with NRT-HNL cut (but no feed on both sides)?

Something like:

CI 106 TPE-NRT 1620-2020
NRT-ONT 0005-1720-1

ONT-NRT 0005-0540+1
CI 107 NRT-TPE 0920-1230

...or is it too far away from the Japanese market as they are mostly located in Little Tokyo, Torrance and around the beach area?

HkCaGu

NRT doesn't operate that early/late for sure due to curfew. HND maybe.

coolfish1103

Oh I forgot about the curfew, so need to re-time it. Don't think Taiwan got any fifth freedom for Haneda otherwise that would be an excellent option.

CI 106 TPE-NRT 1620-2020
NRT-ONT 2220-1535

ONT-NRT 0030-0605+1
CI 107 NRT-TPE 0920-1230

bocastephen

That market is too close to LAX, plus it's been train-wrecked by Toyota's move to Texas. My favorite very traditional Japanese restaurant in Torrance that was home to countless Japanese executive dinners, Japanese sport's heroes and other celebrities, recently realized their entire prime market was gone (as in gone to Texas) and revamped their menu to 'fusion' to be more appealing to western tastes. I am not amused at all.

I believe Hyundai is moving into some of the areas vacated by Toyota, so that market will begin to skew towards Korean culture over time, but either way, both the traditional Japanese and Korean markets are too far out of the ONT catchment for this to work. They would be better off running something like ONT-TPE-PEK, but even that doesn't make much sense when you can drive to LAX and do that route nonstop.

lolstebbo

Could TPE-NRT-DFW work or would AA have the NRT-DFW part completely on lock?

coolfish1103

Which restaurant?

They can already do PEK with their current flight, so that's not considered. It's to see if there is any fifth freedom that's operate-able, so I put NRT on the table. ICN is probably do able as a Skyteam hub but no fifth freedom there. I'd like to think KIX may work but EVA has struggled before and now JL has a flight (which makes no sense to compete).

Ever since the flight and time change this flight has been filling. Maybe just do a second night flight if ONT-TPE demand is that high?

username

When CI did TPE-KIX-JFK, everyone thought it was a great idea but it did not work out. So, I don't know if they would try TPE-TYO-ONT. I also think it sort of defeats the purpose - you don't have to deal with traffic to LAX but you end up spending more time with the stop.

coolfish1103

It would be gearing at traffic ending in Japan, not for transits. TPE-NRT vv can stand on it's own.

Any transit flights should be geared towards TPE for transfer, like the PEK example.

KIX was a good idea as there wasn't any direct flight for KIX-JFK vv, but it cannibalized the TPE-JFK vv and the passengers weren't happy to clear customs in JFK and have to stop in KIX compared to clearing at ANC and just walk out as domestic in JFK. KIX-ONT vv is an idea but I don't think it will work as JL already has a KIX-LAX vv. flight in operation. Passengers will opt for the JL flight as it's closer to their community and the market at Osaka is really not that large in comparison to Tokyo.