LASUA1K

Dude? You don't understand. Where is the additional flying? They are axing 1 sfo-nrt. That isn't an addition. It's just moving planes around.

Who are you to tell me what airline I should fly? I do spend 30K on WN. Would be lovely if UA got that 30K. I choose to not fly express, and its easy to see once express creeps in, people fly other airlines. As proof, PDX. Marketshare in midwest USA flights have also gone away, as have inter California routes.

spin88

There is a pilot shortage. Its impacting everyone. EWR764 does a good job of describing how this plays into SkyWest pulling down these flights (they are cutting EMB-120 flights, moving the pilots to larger RJs). He implies (and I think he either knows, or is guessing correctly) that this was not probably a cut UAL would want, but SkyWest has other clients to service.

There is no evidence that Portland is not profitable for UAL, nor that these cuts will positively impact UAL's bottom line, I actually think its the opposite. I don't know who has the corporate contracts for Intel, Nike, Columbia, Freighliner, Kaiser, Tektronix, and Precision (particularly for international flights) but if its UAL, I would not want to be the UAL sales rep with those accounts.

LASUA1K

Where is the lie? They have 2 sfo-nrt going down to 1. If it stayed at 2 and added HND that would be additional. Sorry you just don't get that. There is no additional service here so please don't lie with news of additional Tokyo service.

DXjr

It probably has more to do with the lack of on-board product than it being express. People are flocking to Delta Shuttle between LAX and SFO, but I guess you won't, because it's express and all.

EWR764

Easy. The at-risk OO routes (as all of the non-hub PDX UAX flying is) are not UA's shots to call, despite the marketing relationship. In fact, the UA imprimatur probably means more for SkyWest on those routes as they are assuming the P&L risk.

As for the pilot shortage, without delving into the reason for a shortage, there is no doubt that many operators are having trouble hiring new pilots to backfill normal attrition as there are new, more stringent requirements for entry-level pilots. SkyWest has two components to their flight operations, contract (fee-per-departure) and at-risk (SkyWest pro-rate). The contract flying makes up most of the UAX feed at hubsites, as the home carrier sets schedules, allocates capacity and makes many operational decisions for the contract flying. If the operator is unable to complete the contract flying for reasons other than normal operating concerns, there are penalties involved.

On the other hand, pro-rate flying is done of the operating carrier's volition and is often EAS-subsidized as well. It may be flown under a marketing arrangement with the major carrier to drive business, but the operator is assuming the risk of the flight and not being paid on a fixed per-departure basis as in the contract flying.

So, from a business perspective, it is more important for the operator to complete its contracted flying because it is fixed-rate and critical to maintain the relationship with the marketing carrier. The at-risk flying may be lower-margin than contract flying, therefore it is better to devote resources to the contracted flying if a shortage arises.

LASUA1K

Crj200 is my main gripe. Yes, I won't get on it and it my choice but a DL rj75 with better in flight will win that flyer over a crj200. But I'm not taking a crj200 from LAX-SEA or PDX. No thx.

JOSECONLSCREW28

The way your posts are coming across (and don't mean to sound rude or anything) is that your implying that SFO - Tokyo flying being totally cut when it isn't. As has been posted the additional SFO - NRT flight is being transferred to the SFO - HND flight nothing wrong with that.

channa

Yes, DL shuttle is nicer than UA mainline on that route.

And DL RJ F is nicer than UA mainline F in many cases.

I don't think DL flies single-cabin aircraft to/from LAX.

LASUA1K

No worries, I had quoted a post that said you was adding service. I never said they were canceling NRT. I did say they are canceling the additional service. 2x NRT down to 1. HND was supposed to be an addition on top of the 2xNRT but in fact one is going away.

Never did i imply that it was being canceled completely but 1 going away from NRT and adding to HND is not adding service. It stays the same. Still 2x to the area. The post i quoted was implying additional service when it is not.

DXjr

From what I can surmise from various sources of mine, this is not the case. They have recently UPed the number of accepted pilots for incoming classes to both staff new E175 flying, and minimize any potential loss.

Plus, if McDonald's is having trouble with staffing, it does not mean that In-n-Out is.

You're on the right track. It's to keep the contract flights operating. As much as they would like to keep this flying, it is no longer profitable to them, and as I delved into this on my previous post, it's more a fleet issue than a crew issue (or lack thereof.)

noah

Damn damn damn.

This really sucks.

I have 5 upcoming trips booked with PDX-LAX or PDX-SEA legs that will be impacted.

At least PDX-SFO-LAX isn't a deal-breaker, but now there is no way to get to SEA without paying out of pocket.

I am so ready to jump ship, but there just isn't anywhere for me to go given corporate contracts and the routes I fly. Fu*k.

spin88

The reference is clear.

I might point out that many of us said that the second NRT flight would go away as onward flow (BKK, HKG, ICN, TPE) went way, and were told we were wrong. What will be interesting is to see if the remaining NRT flight stays 744 or goes to the 772. Also if UAL fills the 772 to HND at those times, or that goes to a 789 or 788.

BH62

Sarcasm Alert: PDX-SEA via Amtrak?

fgirard

But, having to book SNA/LAX/ONT/PSP-MNL, the SFO-HND does not work well with the NH HND-MNL and would require a forced overnight. With the 1x SFO-NRT, and knowing the delays associated with intra-California flights going into SFO, it becomes a much larger hassle to deal with re-booking, since there is only 1x NRT-MNL to begin with.

BTW, it looks like CLD-LAX is going to be eliminated, and some of the other former OO routes have been axed, including IPL-LAX. And the brains at UA think that there is going to be a a bunch more passengers flying PSP-LAX in the summer as the EM2 that I was booked on for PSP-LAX has been swapped for a CR7--and mind you that this is for an itinerary in July.

787fan

Right ... within 12 months, UA will shrink LAX from 58 destinations down to 8-9