What is the Status of the Planned Houston-Auckland Service?
Jun 24, 2012, 5:46 pm
#151
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 259
Service to Auckland only makes sense if Bush Intercontinental is the only international gateway. Or so says UA.
Complete BS.
1- To fill a plane for Auckland, you will need connecting passengers from all over the East Coast
2- WN won't fly even near Auckland.
It is a pretty transparent attempt at blackmailing, and I hope authorities in Houston won't go for it. Competition is good, and UA just needs to compete. Period.
Complete BS.
1- To fill a plane for Auckland, you will need connecting passengers from all over the East Coast
2- WN won't fly even near Auckland.
It is a pretty transparent attempt at blackmailing, and I hope authorities in Houston won't go for it. Competition is good, and UA just needs to compete. Period.
Jun 25, 2012, 1:12 am
#152
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Syd
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, VA G
Posts: 886
You do however pay for it
Jun 25, 2012, 9:03 am
#153
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,865
The 773 is only the LAX service, the SFO service is still a 744 and much more reasonable in Y. It even has a 34" pitch.
Incidentally, NZ has occasional sale fares on their E+. I picked up a cheap SFO-SYD in E+ for barely two grand recently (not the new 773 E+ but the old 744 one, still a lot better than regular Y). A nice thing about NZ E+ is that it earns a rather generous 1.5x EQM on United.
Incidentally, NZ has occasional sale fares on their E+. I picked up a cheap SFO-SYD in E+ for barely two grand recently (not the new 773 E+ but the old 744 one, still a lot better than regular Y). A nice thing about NZ E+ is that it earns a rather generous 1.5x EQM on United.
Jul 3, 2012, 9:54 am
#154
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
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Just came across a rumor (originally from Aviation Week) that NZ is considering AKL-DEN and AKL-IAH routes. Link is to a Denver Post article. Interesting that there is a statement that NZ 777s can make both of these flights.
Jul 16, 2012, 8:10 pm
#155
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: United mileage Plus 1k and Million Miler, Krisflyer, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin
Posts: 211
certainly, there would have to be some reciprocity? If Air NZ get a new hub in US, then some carrier must get one in NZ in return. Isn't that the way it is played? United would want to keep its hold on Denver, maybe trade Auckland slot to Denver for NZ flying to Houston?
Hawaiian Air just announced 3 weekly flights to Auckland today.
Hawaiian Air just announced 3 weekly flights to Auckland today.
Jul 16, 2012, 9:18 pm
#157
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Syd
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, VA G
Posts: 886
Jul 22, 2012, 2:29 am
#158
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
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Just came across a rumor (originally from Aviation Week) that NZ is considering AKL-DEN and AKL-IAH routes. Link is to a Denver Post article. Interesting that there is a statement that NZ 777s can make both of these flights.
I suppose it would offer easier connections to some intra-Australian routes, which require multiple stops. e.g., DEN-SFO-SYD-PER, vs DEN-AKL-PER.
Jul 23, 2012, 1:26 pm
#159
Join Date: Jul 2005
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The elite racers like LV might even buy F. Of course us ski bums and instructor-bums are dirtbag poor, so we'd all be in the back of the bus. Sorry, it's UA, back of the boeing. Unless of course those A350 PMUA orders ever show up.
I wouldn't count on DEN-AKL replacing IAH-AKL. Skier-logic says yes, but skier-logic says "spend all your money on gear", not on paid premium cabins. If skier-logic worked with UA, we'd still have the DEN-LHR route and if it were kept only seasonal, it would be during the winter for the British Invasion of the Colorado High Country.
Jul 23, 2012, 2:07 pm
#160
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Ski Country USA to Ski Country NZ! I know a lot of avid skiers, and fellow ski instructors who go to NZ in the Northern summer for the Southern winter. There's an instructor training operation that is based partially in NZ and partially in CO USA. Ski racers, including Lindsey Vonn who just tweeted and FB'd a few days ago about arriving in NZ.
The elite racers like LV might even buy F. Of course us ski bums and instructor-bums are dirtbag poor, so we'd all be in the back of the bus. Sorry, it's UA, back of the boeing. Unless of course those A350 PMUA orders ever show up.
I wouldn't count on DEN-AKL replacing IAH-AKL. Skier-logic says yes, but skier-logic says "spend all your money on gear", not on paid premium cabins. If skier-logic worked with UA, we'd still have the DEN-LHR route and if it were kept only seasonal, it would be during the winter for the British Invasion of the Colorado High Country.
The elite racers like LV might even buy F. Of course us ski bums and instructor-bums are dirtbag poor, so we'd all be in the back of the bus. Sorry, it's UA, back of the boeing. Unless of course those A350 PMUA orders ever show up.
I wouldn't count on DEN-AKL replacing IAH-AKL. Skier-logic says yes, but skier-logic says "spend all your money on gear", not on paid premium cabins. If skier-logic worked with UA, we'd still have the DEN-LHR route and if it were kept only seasonal, it would be during the winter for the British Invasion of the Colorado High Country.
Which is better for southern hemisphere skiing in June or July, Chile or NZ?
Last edited by LarkSFO; Jul 23, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Jul 23, 2012, 3:03 pm
#161
Join Date: May 2004
Location: US
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 973
UA should fly LAX or SFO-AKL before attempting to do IAH or DEN. Both LAX and SFO have enough connecting passengers to make it work. CO wanted IAH-AKL to mimic Qantas SYD-DFW, but with UA's network, that is now not necessary.
Nov 27, 2012, 2:22 pm
#162
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: United mileage Plus 1k and Million Miler, Krisflyer, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin
Posts: 211
At any rate, I wish UA would sort something out to NZ. ANZ simply doesn't put enough, hardly any, award flights out to MP awards. Last year I took 4 trips to Europe via Sydney to catch UA flights, on cramped, ancient planes, with bad food and 1970s era one cabin movies. I could fly Singapore, ANZ and other carriers cheaper, more direct, with better service and planes, but I've remained loyal to UA. It's about time it returned the favor.
Qantas has just pulled its direct service from NZ to west coast USA, leaving ANZ with monopoly. There ought to be some room to expand UA service here.
Qantas has just pulled its direct service from NZ to west coast USA, leaving ANZ with monopoly. There ought to be some room to expand UA service here.
Nov 27, 2012, 10:44 pm
#163
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,580
At any rate, I wish UA would sort something out to NZ. ANZ simply doesn't put enough, hardly any, award flights out to MP awards. Last year I took 4 trips to Europe via Sydney to catch UA flights, on cramped, ancient planes, with bad food and 1970s era one cabin movies. I could fly Singapore, ANZ and other carriers cheaper, more direct, with better service and planes, but I've remained loyal to UA. It's about time it returned the favor.
Qantas has just pulled its direct service from NZ to west coast USA, leaving ANZ with monopoly. There ought to be some room to expand UA service here.
Qantas has just pulled its direct service from NZ to west coast USA, leaving ANZ with monopoly. There ought to be some room to expand UA service here.
Nov 28, 2012, 3:19 am
#164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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UA intends to maximise profits, not to return any favors. I would suggest you fly with other carriers, more cheaply, direct and with better service and planes.
Feb 12, 2013, 1:00 pm
#165
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: United mileage Plus 1k and Million Miler, Krisflyer, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin
Posts: 211
I don't think UA will start this service, because their Star Alliance partner has a large market share and I believe you can book award tickets on Air NZ using United miles. If anyone starts this route, my guess would be Delta, because SkyTeam has no direct US-NZ service. Oneworld doesn't either, but AA probably has other issues to deal with right now, and if Qantas couldn't make it work then AA probably can't either.
that makes much sense, or Seattle. Right now there are so few cooperative connections between ANZ (I'm getting routed UA-Qantas) and UA that UA must have opportunities to fly high profit routes between coasts. ANZ charges as much to fly to EU as West Coast of USA, halfway there.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 12, 2013 at 1:28 pm Reason: merge