United (UA) To Eliminate NRT-BKK (UA837,UA838) [Now gone]

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Nov 19, 2013, 4:09 pm

#76

kb1992

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RS250Racer

BKK?

Are they serious?

I saw it was going to a CO 777 next year but cut it all together?

Probably the last thing keeping me at UA.

There is NO way they can not be making money on that flight, I am on it every 8 weeks, it is always packed....there is no VISA for Thais to go to Japan anymore, THAI is running an A380 on that route plus 2 other flights and killing it!!

What is wrong with these people?

These are the same people who intend to kill UA's Asian network.

NRT-TPE Gone (in fairness, there will be SFO-TPE next year)
NRT-HKG Gone.
HKG-SIN Once 747 was replaced by pathetic 738 (now back to 777?)
NRT-ICN Soon 777 be replaced by same pathetic 738
HKG-BKK Soon Gone.

I guess NRT-ICN is doable by CR7?

Nov 19, 2013, 4:15 pm

#77

ElNegro

Join Date: Jul 2012

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kb1992

These are the same people who intend to kill UA's Asian network.

The NRT hub & intra Asia flights is a relic from the bygone era of Pan Am. It's time for United to let the intra-Asia flying go the way of the dodo.

I believe BKK will return when United acquires more 787s.

Nov 19, 2013, 4:38 pm

#78

Xyzzy

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Quote:

Originally Posted by iquitos

How does UAL think they will feed those NRT and HKG flights by downgauging the feeder flights? BKK origin pax can just fly TG direct. Why would an ICN pax want to stop in NRT? IMO they are going to lose a lot of valuable local traffic. Is this about unloading the flight attendants replacing them with the GUM base?

The UA pax from BKK are already stopping somewhere and changing aircraft. The

nly different thing in the future will be the carrier operating the intra-Asia segment. It will still be bookable on one ticket.

Nov 19, 2013, 4:41 pm

#79

RS250Racer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

The UA pax from BKK are already stopping somewhere and changing aircraft. The

nly different thing in the future will be the carrier operating the intra-Asia segment. It will still be bookable on one ticket.

But no longer upgradeable...correct?

Nov 19, 2013, 4:50 pm

#80

Always Flyin

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

The UA pax from BKK are already stopping somewhere and changing aircraft. The

nly different thing in the future will be the carrier operating the intra-Asia segment. It will still be bookable on one ticket.

Except it won't be upgradeable and won't earn status based bonus miles.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:00 pm

#81

Xyzzy

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RS250Racer

Or MM status either I am guessing.

Sad to see a death by a thousand cuts with this airline.

It's one intra-Asia route. Did you pay attention to the new r

utes and frequencies that UA is adding? There was a section in the presentation on rightsizing markets and using the available resources better. The BKK change is a prime example of that. It makes sense.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:03 pm

#82

exerda

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Note that this will also mean no saver C to BKK; you'll be in Y on ANA unless you want to pay the new, inflated award charts for partner awards.

UA, the hits just keep coming!

Nov 19, 2013, 5:05 pm

#83

goodeats21

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

The UA pax from BKK are already stopping somewhere and changing aircraft. The

nly different thing in the future will be the carrier operating the intra-Asia segment. It will still be bookable on one ticket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RS250Racer

But no longer upgradeable...correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

True -- and als

subject to the new partner award rules.

And no E+, no UA personnel for irrops (at BKK)...No holding of UA plane to BKK when their TPAC flights are late arriving.

Does this affect baggage allowances? I seem to recall stories of struggles with "partners" in this regard.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:17 pm

#84

FlytheTail

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ElNegro

The NRT hub & intra Asia flights is a relic from the bygone era of Pan Am.

Is that where the NRT lounge furniture came from too?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

The UA pax from BKK are already stopping somewhere and changing aircraft. The

nly different thing in the future will be the carrier operating the intra-Asia segment. It will still be bookable on one ticket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Always Flyin

Except it won't be upgradeable and won't earn status based bonus miles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodeats21

And no E+, no UA personnel for irrops (at BKK)...No holding of UA plane to BKK when their TPAC flights are late arriving.

And the 31" seat pitch -- which feels like 28" -- is abysmal on NH's 767s, not to mention there's presently insufficient NH capacity to now serve UA's customers.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:21 pm

#85

DCEsquire

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Quote:

Originally Posted by FriendlySkies

It sounds like it'll be a downgauge from the 744 > ?, not necessarily a cancellation of BKK all together, though I need to re-listen to the conf. call.

Any update on this? I can't believe they are cutting out BKK entirely.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:21 pm

#86

Xyzzy

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Quote:

Originally Posted by goodeats21

And no E+, no UA personnel for irrops (at BKK)...No holding of UA plane to BKK when their TPAC flights are late arriving.

That sounds just like the hundreds of other airports where UA has n

presence. I agree with the previous poster that we're likely to see 787 service SFO-BKK at some point.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:21 pm

#87

jasondc

Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Washington, DC

Posts: 1,309

I'd imagine that if it were profitable, or if they had no better use for it, they'd keep BKK. Seems like IAHNRT#2 and IAH-MUC are probably a better use of scarce resources than your free upgrade or my $1200 round trip fare from DC to BKK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by exerda

Note that this will also mean no saver C to BKK; you'll be in Y on ANA unless you want to pay the new, inflated award charts for partner awards.

UA, the hits just keep coming!

Nov 19, 2013, 5:26 pm

#88

jlivengo

Join Date: May 2012

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Posts: 225

Very disappointed with the loss of NRT-BKK. I used BKK as a transit hub to other SE Asian destinations for work. (Based out of HNL) Now I'll use Singapore. Get ready to see double the competition for GPU's on the NRT-SIN route. Unfortunately SQ is a lot more expensive than Thai when traveling intra-asia.

You notice SMI doesn't use the phrase "changes you're going to like" anymore?

Nov 19, 2013, 5:30 pm

#89

edcho

Join Date: May 2011

Posts: 5,814

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlivengo

NRT-SIN pretty bad in clearing before (atleast when I was commuting there in the beginning of the year). Too many paid C pax! If I wanted to use a GPU, I would do something like SFO-HKG-SIN instead.

Nov 19, 2013, 5:33 pm

#90

exerda

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jasondc

If it were profitable, or if they had no better use for it, they'd keep BKK. Seems like IAHNRT#2 and IAH-MUC are probably a better use of scarce resources than your free upgrade or my $1200 round trip fare from DC to BKK.

I think it's wrong to assume the route wasn't profitable. If it wasn't, given the demand, UA was screwing something up very badly. Loads were always high and upgrades tight (I cleared at the gate three times, on off-peak days, for example, and you'll find many similar reports), indicating there was paid premium cabin traffic. If UA couldn't make money in that situation, it's a failure of revenue management, not the route.

As for my "free" upgrade, I don't exactly think a GPU is "free." Nor the premium I pay to use it. I haven't seen a $1200 WAS-BKK fare in W or higher in years; in fact, the most recent W fares I've seen were $1800-$2100. At that rate, I can just buy partner C fares after a positioning flight (running $2400 ex-West Coast). Seriously, UA is charging $2000+ and a GPU for the chance of an upgrade to NRT (and Y in knee-crushing ANA onward to BKK)?!?