Important Notice from United: Update regarding sequester impacts on travel
Apr 22, 2013, 7:43 am
#46
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,018
For the current day (beginning @ 0000z) go here:
http://.www.fly.faa.gov/adv/advAdvisoryForm.jsp & click "show selected advisories"
http://.www.fly.faa.gov/adv/advAdvisoryForm.jsp & click "show selected advisories"
Apr 22, 2013, 7:48 am
#47
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
Apr 22, 2013, 7:55 am
#48
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,103
Back on point: If the sequester's pain is as bad as advertised, a prudent outlook would be to treat every flying day like a day with a good chance of thunderstorms.
Travel early in the day -- a flight at 7 a.m. is less likely to be sacrificed at the traffic management altar than a flight at 5 p.m.
If you're flying into a smaller station like DSM that has limited service, consider padding your travel schedule by an extra few hours to accomodate a greater chance of irrops. If you need to be in DSM at noon Friday, consider leaving home at noon Thursday instead of 3 p.m. Thursday.
If you're making a connection and have a choice of connecting cities, consider choosing the city closest to your destination. For example, if you are flying MCO-DSM on UA you can connect at IAH, ORD or EWR. EWR-DSM is only 1x day and that flight is late in the day. ORD-DSM is 5x/day and only a six-hour drive if push comes to shove.
Even if you can fly direct, apply a strategic eye to your bookings. If EWR is your home airport and you're headed to DSM, there is a direct, nonstop flight. But as noted above it is 1x/day and late in the day. flightstats reports that the average delay for UA on that route is 83 minutes, and gives that route an 0 of 5 "very poor" rating. Even with a nonstop available, the EWR-based flyer might consider booking a connection early in the day through ORD as more reliable than the nonstop.
Travel early in the day -- a flight at 7 a.m. is less likely to be sacrificed at the traffic management altar than a flight at 5 p.m.
If you're flying into a smaller station like DSM that has limited service, consider padding your travel schedule by an extra few hours to accomodate a greater chance of irrops. If you need to be in DSM at noon Friday, consider leaving home at noon Thursday instead of 3 p.m. Thursday.
If you're making a connection and have a choice of connecting cities, consider choosing the city closest to your destination. For example, if you are flying MCO-DSM on UA you can connect at IAH, ORD or EWR. EWR-DSM is only 1x day and that flight is late in the day. ORD-DSM is 5x/day and only a six-hour drive if push comes to shove.
Even if you can fly direct, apply a strategic eye to your bookings. If EWR is your home airport and you're headed to DSM, there is a direct, nonstop flight. But as noted above it is 1x/day and late in the day. flightstats reports that the average delay for UA on that route is 83 minutes, and gives that route an 0 of 5 "very poor" rating. Even with a nonstop available, the EWR-based flyer might consider booking a connection early in the day through ORD as more reliable than the nonstop.
Cheers.
Apr 22, 2013, 7:58 am
#49
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PBI / FLL / YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat, AA Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Courtesy Card
Posts: 1,983
I guess those short connection times for the mileage runners will result in missed connections, re-routes on more direct routes and original routing credit so maybe that is a positive for them?
Apr 22, 2013, 8:11 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
That's not what I said at all.......read the post I replied to. My answer was directed at the comment that if UA operated less flights or not have daily service we would adjust and just fly UA when they had flights available. My answer had nothing to do directly with the sequester but to take it further. The sequester will not affect every airline exactly the same way in each market. Red eyes for example will probably (just my opinion) be hurt less then a flight at noon on a Friday. If I want to fly from LAX-BOS under normal circumstances I would probably fly UA LAX-ORD/DEN-BOS but under the sequestration I would not even dream of that routing. Ill take AA's red eye non stop.
Apr 22, 2013, 10:15 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
LAX-SFO last night, 7:47 PM departure. After the flight boarded, the pilot announced on the PA that we had just been given a two-hour ground stop. He said he was surprised and didn't know the reason, since weather was fine at both LAX and SFO.
The crew came back on shortly after to say that the delay was due to the sequester, and that we should complain about it on http://www.dontgroundamerica.com. The crew then forced all passengers to get off the plane, taking bags all with us (i.e., forcing us to play the overhead bin rat race again) until it was time to leave.
Finally, on approach into SFO, the pilot changed his story. He announced on the PA that the delay was actually due to a runway closure at SFO for maintenance. (He did not acknowledge that he had, just hours before, incorrectly blamed the furlough.)
Assuming the pilots were not feigning ignorance about the runway closures, I find it amazing that they were completely unaware of the program at SFO, given that it was announced months ago:
http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about...runway/updates
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...uary-june.html
The crew came back on shortly after to say that the delay was due to the sequester, and that we should complain about it on http://www.dontgroundamerica.com. The crew then forced all passengers to get off the plane, taking bags all with us (i.e., forcing us to play the overhead bin rat race again) until it was time to leave.
Finally, on approach into SFO, the pilot changed his story. He announced on the PA that the delay was actually due to a runway closure at SFO for maintenance. (He did not acknowledge that he had, just hours before, incorrectly blamed the furlough.)
Assuming the pilots were not feigning ignorance about the runway closures, I find it amazing that they were completely unaware of the program at SFO, given that it was announced months ago:
http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about...runway/updates
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...uary-june.html
Last edited by nnn; Apr 22, 2013 at 10:36 am Reason: Was LAX-SFO, not SFO-LAX
Apr 22, 2013, 10:32 am
#52
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
SFO-LAX last night, 7:47 PM departure. After the flight boarded, the pilot announced on the PA that we had just been given a two-hour ground stop. He said he was surprised and didn't know the reason, since weather was fine at both LAX and SFO.
The crew came back on shortly after to say that the delay was due to the sequester, and that we should complain about it on http://www.dontgroundamerica.com. The crew then forced all passengers to get off the plane, taking bags all with us (i.e., forcing us to play the overhead bin rat race again) until it was time to leave.
Finally, on approach into SFO, the pilot changed his story. He announced on the PA that the delay was actually due to a runway closure at SFO for maintenance. (He did not acknowledge that he had, just hours before, incorrectly blamed the furlough.)
Assuming the pilots were not feigning ignorance about the runway closures, I find it amazing that they were completely unaware of the program at SFO, given that it was announced months ago:
http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about...runway/updates
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...uary-june.html
The crew came back on shortly after to say that the delay was due to the sequester, and that we should complain about it on http://www.dontgroundamerica.com. The crew then forced all passengers to get off the plane, taking bags all with us (i.e., forcing us to play the overhead bin rat race again) until it was time to leave.
Finally, on approach into SFO, the pilot changed his story. He announced on the PA that the delay was actually due to a runway closure at SFO for maintenance. (He did not acknowledge that he had, just hours before, incorrectly blamed the furlough.)
Assuming the pilots were not feigning ignorance about the runway closures, I find it amazing that they were completely unaware of the program at SFO, given that it was announced months ago:
http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about...runway/updates
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...uary-june.html
Apr 22, 2013, 10:35 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,287
Code:
Runway 28R Friday, April 19 at 10:00 p.m. PDT Monday, April 22 at 8:00 a.m. PDT
Apr 22, 2013, 10:48 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,419
Yes but 15 years ago, I could also fly ORD-LAS for $100.00. Trust me, I did it once a week. 13 regional flights from ORD-IND is overboard. It should be spread out with 5 or 6 a day on mainline aircraft. Those 13 gas thirsty regionals are wasting just as much fuel as 5 or 6 mainline flights. There are several markets like this. Plenty of markets can drop a few regionals and be replaced with Mainline. Look at EWR and LGA, all the regionals there have clogged the airways.
Apr 22, 2013, 11:07 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 207
I know every U.S. household with a worker saw their budget cut 2.5% when Obama raised the social security tax 2.5%. How come OUR household budget cut didn't create Armageddon....
If a similar budget cut creates havoc on the government, why do politicians/government agencies not have sympathies when it's the other guys facing cuts?
PBQ
Apr 22, 2013, 11:13 am
#57
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Apr 22, 2013, 11:13 am
#58
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
On an inflation-adjusted average basis fares are lower today than 15 years ago.
But I don't know that we need to let actual data get in the way of the irrational rant and total misunderstanding of the market.
Europe has a bunch of CR2s, E45s, CR7s, CR9s and other RJs flying around. There are a few airlines in Europe where those are the main components in the fleet.
But I don't know that we need to let actual data get in the way of the irrational rant and total misunderstanding of the market.
Europe has a bunch of CR2s, E45s, CR7s, CR9s and other RJs flying around. There are a few airlines in Europe where those are the main components in the fleet.
Apr 22, 2013, 11:14 am
#59
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Whatever gets me there faster.
Posts: 746
Yes but 15 years ago, I could also fly ORD-LAS for $100.00. Trust me, I did it once a week. 13 regional flights from ORD-IND is overboard. It should be spread out with 5 or 6 a day on mainline aircraft. Those 13 gas thirsty regionals are wasting just as much fuel as 5 or 6 mainline flights. There are several markets like this. Plenty of markets can drop a few regionals and be replaced with Mainline. Look at EWR and LGA, all the regionals there have clogged the airways.
I believe the word you want is "consolidated," as "spread out" would mean that the status quo schedule is better. Besides, EWR and LGA are hubs (UA, DL, respectively) those regional jets have to serve SOMEWHERE that mainline can't profitably.
To sum this up, I do believe that SOME consolidation would work, but to drop the regionals and regional jets entirely because you don't like them would hurt the network more than it helps.
Apr 22, 2013, 11:22 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
If a storm is coming, UA can proactively adjust their schedules to make the un-cancelled flights more likely to leave on time or announce delays well in advance. Why can't this be handled the same way? You know the ATC schedules, you know the volume of traffic that can be handled, and you can predict now the chance of a particular flight later this week being delayed/canceled.
I rely on day trips often for meetings to cities east of the Mississippi. Wednesday I'm planning the first am EWR-IAD flight down and the last one back. The vast majority of the time, the first flight of the day leaves on time and I can plan destination meetings accordingly. If flights (particularly UAEX flights) start routinely departing late or having last minute cancellations, then I'll have to start going in the night before. That increases costs for my company, as well as many others, which costs ultimately end up passed to consumers or result in lower dividends for shareholders. What was the point of the sequester again?
This could also make it even tougher on people that don't get free SDC's, assuming UA hasn't issued a blanket waiver (haven't been paying attention).
I rely on day trips often for meetings to cities east of the Mississippi. Wednesday I'm planning the first am EWR-IAD flight down and the last one back. The vast majority of the time, the first flight of the day leaves on time and I can plan destination meetings accordingly. If flights (particularly UAEX flights) start routinely departing late or having last minute cancellations, then I'll have to start going in the night before. That increases costs for my company, as well as many others, which costs ultimately end up passed to consumers or result in lower dividends for shareholders. What was the point of the sequester again?
This could also make it even tougher on people that don't get free SDC's, assuming UA hasn't issued a blanket waiver (haven't been paying attention).