NRT-HKG service discontinued after 26 Oct 2013.
Nov 15, 2013, 8:30 pm
#106
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Now the question is, would you sacrifice 1800 LT BIS UA miles each way to secure the BF seat through NRT, or pay the gambling W fare game ex-SFO, ORD, and EWR? I would go for the former approach, still. SFO-HKG is very difficult to clear, way worse than ORD-HKG and EWR-HKG.
Nov 15, 2013, 8:38 pm
#107
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Nov 15, 2013, 8:53 pm
#108
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And what are the consequences to customers?
I rode ANA from NRT to TPE, back to NRT and then to BKK last year. I thought legroom was bad on LH until this trip. It took a month before my knees quit hurting from the abuse of being jammed into the seat in front of me. ANA is on my DO NOT FLY list, regardless of what our company bean counters might say. They really won't like the medical bills that would likely accrue from riding them again. It will be interesting to see how I get routed from SEA to Hong Kong next year.
2. Nothing counts toward MM lifetime status.
3. Can't use GPU on partners' routes.
4. UA has had technical difficulties from time to time selling UA and NH flights on the same ticket.
5. A greatly inflated intra-Asia award chart now that all flights to those cities must involve *A partners.
Example: from south Asia to north Asia, one-way saver award
Before the recent MP devaluation (x1,000 mi.) 15 / 22.5 / 32.5
After the recent MP devaluation, using *A (x1,000 mi.) 20 / 40 / 50
Mileage increase = 33% / 78% / 54%
(Had UA kept its own metal on those routes, the mileage increase would have been 33% / 56% / 38%)
Nov 15, 2013, 10:29 pm
#109
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As someone who likes to stop by TYO on every trip to HKG, it'll probably become more and more difficult. May have to make separate trips originating from US, as Neil35 says.
Nov 16, 2013, 7:42 am
#110
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But NRT-HKG has been packed (at least in Y) every time I've flown it. UA is maintaining or increasing trans-Pacific services to NRT (they added DEN this year). And I don't believe ANA is adding more NRT-HKG service, although I could be wrong about that.
As someone who likes to stop by TYO on every trip to HKG, it'll probably become more and more difficult. May have to make separate trips originating from US, as Neil35 says.
As someone who likes to stop by TYO on every trip to HKG, it'll probably become more and more difficult. May have to make separate trips originating from US, as Neil35 says.
(I'm looking at one K fare HKG-YVR that does not...)
Nov 16, 2013, 8:16 am
#111
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My wife and I did a BWI-HKG fare two years ago and we did: BWI-ORD-NRT // HND-HKG with the stopover in Tokyo.
However, that was on a W fare with the ORD-NRT in C on a SWU; But if you want the stopover, you might still be able to get it cheaper using a different fare than a K fare and adding in a one-way from TYO-HKG.
-jeremy
Nov 19, 2013, 9:44 pm
#112
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UA to remove "regional" 777s from Narita Hub
According to this summary, the global UA asian strategy appears now more clearly, and this is for sure a bad news for all asian based UA frequent flyers.. 
They want to remove most of the 777 still used for intra asia/oceania flights from the Tokyo hub (and replace them with 737/8) so that these 777s might be used for new TATL - TAPC routes…
This is highlighted in this thread reporting that the 777s currently used for NRT to ICN are being replaced by some of the former Air Mike 737s (being freed up by the reduction/closure of asian lines such as NRT-HKG..)
So, beyond NRT to ICN, one should expect to have even more 777s disappearing from the existing routes with mixed 777/738 services such as NRT-GUM and NRT–HNL, HNL-GUM, etc….
They want to remove most of the 777 still used for intra asia/oceania flights from the Tokyo hub (and replace them with 737/8) so that these 777s might be used for new TATL - TAPC routes…
This is highlighted in this thread reporting that the 777s currently used for NRT to ICN are being replaced by some of the former Air Mike 737s (being freed up by the reduction/closure of asian lines such as NRT-HKG..)
So, beyond NRT to ICN, one should expect to have even more 777s disappearing from the existing routes with mixed 777/738 services such as NRT-GUM and NRT–HNL, HNL-GUM, etc….
Nov 19, 2013, 9:54 pm
#113
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NRT-GUM is a huge tourist market. They're not going to shrink the 777s for no reasons. NRT-HNL and HNL-GUM are just about the same, and physically cannot be handled by 738s. And most likely not NRT-SIN either.
ICN-NRT is the last shrinkable route.
Nov 19, 2013, 11:52 pm
#115
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Definitely not NRT-SIN, unless people want to swim the last couple hundred miles or so. JFK-SIN is longer than BOS-LHR.
Nov 20, 2013, 12:14 am
#116
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I don't know what you're reading but your conclusion is apparently wrong.
NRT-GUM is a huge tourist market. They're not going to shrink the 777s for no reasons. NRT-HNL and HNL-GUM are just about the same, and physically cannot be handled by 738s. And most likely not NRT-SIN either.
ICN-NRT is the last shrinkable route.
NRT-GUM is a huge tourist market. They're not going to shrink the 777s for no reasons. NRT-HNL and HNL-GUM are just about the same, and physically cannot be handled by 738s. And most likely not NRT-SIN either.
ICN-NRT is the last shrinkable route.
I'm assuming the island hopper is safe?Cheers
Howie
Nov 20, 2013, 7:29 pm
#117
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Definitely not NRT-SIN, unless people want to swim the last couple hundred miles or so. JFK-SIN is longer than BOS-LHR.
(the direct one has an even longer TATL plus another Area 2-Area 3 flt, so of course, even if one doesn't have a map on them.)
Nov 22, 2013, 5:16 am
#119
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UA to eliminate NRT-BKK 747 service(UA837,UA838) by March 30, 2014
After NRT to HKG, BKK, which route will be the next one to disappear from UA map... ?
After NRT to HKG, BKK, which route will be the next one to disappear from UA map... ?
Last edited by Eddy421; Nov 22, 2013 at 5:28 am
Nov 22, 2013, 8:26 am
#120
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I think that because it's a big tourist market is exactly why UA may downgauge it, unless UA is somehow getting those tourists to fork over huge amounts of ancillary revenue. The argument was that NRT-BKK, even though it was jam-packed-full, had too many tourists vs. business and premium pax. Note that I am not thrilled with that decision, either.