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United Plans World's Longest Boeing 787 Non-Stop Routes

United Plans World's Longest Boeing 787 Non-Stop Routes

Old Apr 7, 2014, 4:09 pm
  #1  
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United Plans World's Longest Boeing 787 Non-Stop Routes

As use of the Boeing BA -1.41% 787 expands rapidly, United is preparing to operate two of the world’s longest 787 flights.

United’s Los Angeles-Melbourne flight, scheduled to begin service Oct. 26, would travel 7,927 miles, currently the longest plan route to be operated by the 787 family. The flight would operate six days a week.

United’s San Francisco-Chengdu flight, scheduled to begin service June 9, would not only be the first non-stop flight ever from the U.S. to Chengdu, but also would be the longest 787 flight to operate non-stop in both directions, at least until the Melbourne flight begins. The route is 6,857 miles. The flight would operate three times a week, pending government approval.

Currently, the two longest 787 flights are operated by Ethiopian Airlines, but both stop in Rome on westbound routes from Addis Ababa to Washington and Toronto. Addis-Washington is 7,182 miles, while Addis-Toronto is 7,143 miles.

The third longest 787 flight, operated by AeroMexico, operates Mexico City-Tokyo but makes a westbound stop in Tijuana. All three flights operate non-stop when eastbound.
FULL ARTICLE: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/...rtner=yahootix

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Old Apr 7, 2014, 4:11 pm
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Smisek better hope that the Smokeliner's battery issues are behind him. The reliability of this aircraft just isn't there yet.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 4:17 pm
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The CTU airport departures level has a big empty area with a sign marked "United Check In". I think they're looking forward to the UA service.

Will be interesting to see how that route performs.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 4:37 pm
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Originally Posted by amartin1979
Smisek better hope that the Smokeliner's battery issues are behind him. The reliability of this aircraft just isn't there yet.
Nonsense. I'd fly these long routes via 787 without any worry.

RNE, asking who'll pay my fare so I can prove it?
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:03 pm
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Since this is FT, how long before any award space shows up on SFO-CTU? Or is it too late already?
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:28 pm
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Originally Posted by RNE
Nonsense. I'd fly these long routes via 787 without any worry.
+1
The 787 is the best ride I've found & it's my preference whenever available on a given route.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:30 pm
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Originally Posted by malgudi
Since this is FT, how long before any award space shows up on SFO-CTU? Or is it too late already?
I had found tons when looking for options to KTM. From the West Coast, SFO-CTU-KTM is great. Of course, the space was only in Y.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:32 pm
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Originally Posted by RNE
Nonsense. I'd fly these long routes via 787 without any worry.

RNE, asking who'll pay my fare so I can prove it?
the safety doesn't bother me, but if i don't clear an upgrade on that, the 9 across seating looks miiiiighty cramped for a flight that long...
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:42 pm
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SFO - CTU: The "Panda Express"
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:45 pm
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Originally Posted by bob_the_d
the safety doesn't bother me, but if i don't clear an upgrade on that, the 9 across seating looks miiiiighty cramped for a flight that long...
that's going to be my issue with the 787. I'll be avoiding it as long as I can unless I can get an upgrade at booking.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 5:52 pm
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I thought the killer app for the 787 was going to be ultra-long-haul routes that couldn't otherwise be served. MEL-LAX is pretty far, but only the fourteenth longest currently served air route in the world, easily achievable with an A380, 747 or 777, so it's nothing to get too excited about.

Now MEL-ORD, that would be interesting...
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 6:00 pm
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Originally Posted by Jorgen
Now MEL-ORD, that would be interesting...
Thats a route I have dreams about....
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 6:02 pm
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Originally Posted by Jorgen
I thought the killer app for the 787 was going to be ultra-long-haul routes that couldn't otherwise be served. MEL-LAX is pretty far, but only the fourteenth longest currently served air route in the world, easily achievable with an A380, 747 or 777, so it's nothing to get too excited about.

Now MEL-ORD, that would be interesting...
I'm trying to think of one that's longer that would be in UA's interest (regardless of equipment). I imagine the Dubai and Doha flights are controlled by the respective countries.

IAH-SYD might be worth it.
EWR-JXB probably isn't.

1 Sydney Dallas/Fort Worth
2 Johannesburg Atlanta
3 Dubai Los Angeles
4 Jeddah Los Angeles
5 Dallas/Fort Worth Brisbane
6 Dubai Houston
7 Dubai San Francisco
8-10 Newark Hong Kong
11 Doha Houston
12 Dubai Dallas/Fort Worth
13 Johannesburg New York

Last edited by aacharya; Apr 7, 2014 at 6:53 pm
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 6:40 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by Jorgen
I thought the killer app for the 787 was going to be ultra-long-haul routes that couldn't otherwise be served. MEL-LAX is pretty far, but only the fourteenth longest currently served air route in the world, easily achievable with an A380, 747 or 777, so it's nothing to get too excited about.

Now MEL-ORD, that would be interesting...
MEL-ORD isn't within the 787's range.

The 787 was never about ultra-long-haul routes, it is about long-thin routes. Boeing's ultra-long-haul offering is the 777-200LR, which hasn't been selling that well because current fuel prices make ultra-long-haul a difficult economic proposition regardless of the aircraft.
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Old Apr 7, 2014, 6:58 pm
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Originally Posted by aacharya
I'm trying to think of one that's longer that would be in UA's interest (regardless of equipment). I imagine the Dubai and Doha flights are controlled by the respective countries.

IAH-SYD might be worth it.
EWR-JXB probably isn't.

1 Sydney Dallas/Fort Worth
2 Johannesburg Atlanta
3 Dubai Los Angeles
4 Jeddah Los Angeles
5 Dallas/Fort Worth Brisbane
6 Dubai Houston
7 Dubai San Francisco
8-10 Newark Hong Kong
11 Doha Houston
12 Dubai Dallas/Fort Worth
13 Johannesburg New York
I vote SIN=>SFO, SIN=>ORD, or SIN=>IAD for completely self serving reasons, especially given that SQ no longer flies nonstop to the US. That said, I would never book it on a Dreamliner in Y unless R space was available at booking.
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