Oct 8, 2015, 9:39 am
Last edit by: UA Insider
Hi everyone,
Today we are announcing two additional routes out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO), in addition to our previously announced Xi’an, China service. Pending government approval, we plan to operate service between San Francisco-Tel Aviv (TLV) and San Francisco-Auckland (AKL) on our Dreamliner aircraft beginning in 2016.
Check out additional details, including launch dates, in our press release.
-UA Insider
http://newsroom.united.com/2015-10-0...Make-it-Better
Today we are announcing two additional routes out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO), in addition to our previously announced Xi’an, China service. Pending government approval, we plan to operate service between San Francisco-Tel Aviv (TLV) and San Francisco-Auckland (AKL) on our Dreamliner aircraft beginning in 2016.
Check out additional details, including launch dates, in our press release.
-UA Insider
http://newsroom.united.com/2015-10-0...Make-it-Better
United Airlines Made SFO the Best Pacific Hub. And Then Found 3 Ways to Make it Better.
Airline to launch one new Atlantic and two new Pacific services
October 08, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines, the U.S. airline with the most comprehensive route network and the most trans-Pacific service, will further expand its global reach with new nonstop service from San Francisco to:
Tel Aviv, Israel, with service three times each week beginning March 30, 2016;
Auckland, New Zealand, with service three times each week beginning July 1, 2016, expanding to daily service in October; and
Xi'an, China, previously announced, three-times-weekly service beginning May 8, 2016, for the summer season.
Each new service is subject to government approval.
The airline intends to operate the new flights with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world's most advanced passenger airplane.
The Tel Aviv and Xi'an flights will be available for booking on united.com on October 10, 2015, with the Auckland flights available for booking on October 17, 2015.
San Francisco-Tel Aviv: Linking High-Tech Markets
As part of United's evaluation for serving San Francisco (SFO) to Tel Aviv (TLV) nonstop, the airline considered the opinions of thousands of customers who petitioned for the service through the SFOTLV.ORG petition effort.
"Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United," said Dave Hilfman, United's senior vice president of worldwide sales. "Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we're delighted to make it a reality."
Flight | From To | Departure | Arrival
UA954 | SFO TLV | 8 p.m. We/Fr/Su | 8:10 p.m. the next day
UA955 | TLV SFO | 12:55 a.m. Tu/Fr/Su | 6 a.m. the same day
Flight times will be 14 hours, 10 minutes eastbound and 15 hours, 5 minutes westbound.
United has served Israel since 1999. The airline currently offers twice-daily Boeing 777 nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and New York/Newark.
San Francisco-Auckland
United's three-times weekly service to Auckland (AKL), New Zealand's largest city and main transportation hub to other points throughout the country, will launch July 1, 2016, with 787-8 aircraft. The schedule will expand to daily flights operating with 787-9 aircraft on Oct. 28, 2016, in time for the peak-winter travel season.
The Auckland flights will operate in partnership with United's Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand.
Flight | From To | Departure | Arrival
UA917 | SFO AKL | 10:45 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. two days later
UA916 | AKL SFO | 1:20 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. the same day
Flight times will be 13 hours, 10 minutes westbound and 12 hours, 20 minutes eastbound.
United in San Francisco
From its San Francisco hub, United operates nearly 280 daily flights to more than 90 destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia/Pacific.
Airline to launch one new Atlantic and two new Pacific services
October 08, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines, the U.S. airline with the most comprehensive route network and the most trans-Pacific service, will further expand its global reach with new nonstop service from San Francisco to:
Tel Aviv, Israel, with service three times each week beginning March 30, 2016;
Auckland, New Zealand, with service three times each week beginning July 1, 2016, expanding to daily service in October; and
Xi'an, China, previously announced, three-times-weekly service beginning May 8, 2016, for the summer season.
Each new service is subject to government approval.
The airline intends to operate the new flights with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world's most advanced passenger airplane.
The Tel Aviv and Xi'an flights will be available for booking on united.com on October 10, 2015, with the Auckland flights available for booking on October 17, 2015.
San Francisco-Tel Aviv: Linking High-Tech Markets
As part of United's evaluation for serving San Francisco (SFO) to Tel Aviv (TLV) nonstop, the airline considered the opinions of thousands of customers who petitioned for the service through the SFOTLV.ORG petition effort.
"Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United," said Dave Hilfman, United's senior vice president of worldwide sales. "Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we're delighted to make it a reality."
Flight | From To | Departure | Arrival
UA954 | SFO TLV | 8 p.m. We/Fr/Su | 8:10 p.m. the next day
UA955 | TLV SFO | 12:55 a.m. Tu/Fr/Su | 6 a.m. the same day
Flight times will be 14 hours, 10 minutes eastbound and 15 hours, 5 minutes westbound.
United has served Israel since 1999. The airline currently offers twice-daily Boeing 777 nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and New York/Newark.
San Francisco-Auckland
United's three-times weekly service to Auckland (AKL), New Zealand's largest city and main transportation hub to other points throughout the country, will launch July 1, 2016, with 787-8 aircraft. The schedule will expand to daily flights operating with 787-9 aircraft on Oct. 28, 2016, in time for the peak-winter travel season.
The Auckland flights will operate in partnership with United's Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand.
Flight | From To | Departure | Arrival
UA917 | SFO AKL | 10:45 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. two days later
UA916 | AKL SFO | 1:20 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. the same day
Flight times will be 13 hours, 10 minutes westbound and 12 hours, 20 minutes eastbound.
United in San Francisco
From its San Francisco hub, United operates nearly 280 daily flights to more than 90 destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia/Pacific.
UA Announces new Auckland and Tel Aviv service from San Francisco
Oct 8, 2015, 9:51 pm
#122
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: NZ Koru
Posts: 6,415
EK is the only airline providing year round first into AKL, and most of the time you'll get the Tasman sectors e.g. AKL-SYD-AKL on EK for dirt cheap just to fill the seats.
NZ fills an daily 77W on AKL-SFO, with 46 business class seats a 1-2-1 layout along with 50 premium economy at 2-2-2 layout.
Oct 8, 2015, 9:56 pm
#123
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: Free agent, UA 1K, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 353
There's really no reason for F these days, given how good the Asian + ME3 1-2-1 J classes are. I know FT hates on this, but F is useless these days...people who could afford to pay for it it also can afford a fractional or Netjets card which obviates the need for it.
Oct 8, 2015, 10:32 pm
#124
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
I my experience, that's only for upper management. At least that was the case at my last company (a very large multi-national tech company based in the Bay Area). Engineers flew Coach no matter how long the flight.
Oct 8, 2015, 10:40 pm
#125
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,160
There are (for at least the 3 days a week it's currently scheduled). The number of people talking about this around our office today was significant, and we're just one of countless companies/businesses with a (head) office in the bay area and major offices/development in TLV.
Oct 8, 2015, 10:58 pm
#126
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
There are (for at least the 3 days a week it's currently scheduled). The number of people talking about this around our office today was significant, and we're just one of countless companies/businesses with a (head) office in the bay area and major offices/development in TLV.
That said, the flight is 7420 miles long, and will be 15 hours and 5 minutes (TLV-SFO) as blocked by UA. That is a very very long time to sit on a UA 787 in Y, and even in J its not so great compared to OALs. Its also going to be fuel wise, even with the 787, an expensive flight at that range.
This said, I expect, with no competition, they can fill a 787 three times a week.
I'm a little more skeptical of the AKL flight. NZ is just such a better carrier, I find it hard for them to compete, especially when other than Lifetime miles, MileagePlus gives no real advantage to UA at higher fare classes than flying NZ and crediting to MileagePlus would.
Oct 8, 2015, 11:07 pm
#127
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
I learned from airlineroutenews that UA served AKL-LAX as recently as 2003 (last flight was March 29, 2003). It was a 777 in 2003, previously a 747 in 2002; http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...lax-777-a.html.
Oct 8, 2015, 11:20 pm
#128
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,214
My folks head to TLV from SFO several times a year and I know my they are excited for the new route. Yes its long, but it's hard to beat a non-stop.
With that said, I doubt you see J on this route go for less than 5k any time soon. Right now if you book in advance you can typically lock in something in the 3.5k area. I think UA is going to milk this for all they got seeing as they have a monopoly on the route and I don't think the real market limits are known yet.
With that said, I doubt you see J on this route go for less than 5k any time soon. Right now if you book in advance you can typically lock in something in the 3.5k area. I think UA is going to milk this for all they got seeing as they have a monopoly on the route and I don't think the real market limits are known yet.
Oct 8, 2015, 11:23 pm
#129
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,160
That said, the flight is 7420 miles long, and will be 15 hours and 5 minutes (TLV-SFO) as blocked by UA. That is a very very long time to sit on a UA 787 in Y, and even in J its not so great compared to OALs. Its also going to be fuel wise, even with the 787, an expensive flight at that range.
We've got a negotiated rate on SFO-TLV - going to be interesting to see if that rate holds for this routing or not...
Oct 8, 2015, 11:33 pm
#130
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: Free agent, UA 1K, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 353
My folks head to TLV from SFO several times a year and I know my they are excited for the new route. Yes its long, but it's hard to beat a non-stop.
With that said, I doubt you see J on this route go for less than 5k any time soon. Right now if you book in advance you can typically lock in something in the 3.5k area. I think UA is going to milk this for all they got seeing as they have a monopoly on the route and I don't think the real market limits are known yet.
With that said, I doubt you see J on this route go for less than 5k any time soon. Right now if you book in advance you can typically lock in something in the 3.5k area. I think UA is going to milk this for all they got seeing as they have a monopoly on the route and I don't think the real market limits are known yet.
Every company does it a bit differently but in general, if you're not entry level and you need to cross an ocean, regardless of function, you usually go in business class.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 9, 2015 at 12:20 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
Oct 8, 2015, 11:35 pm
#131
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,942
Mind sharing? Approx ranges would work too.
Wow ... I'm working for the wrong company 
Please share name(s) of these companies ... quite a few of us might be interested.
Please share name(s) of these companies ... quite a few of us might be interested.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 9, 2015 at 12:22 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
Oct 8, 2015, 11:58 pm
#133
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 1
This is interesting to me --
What is the benefit of flying two very similarly timed flights, aside from the capacity increase? If it's already a JV, why not put one single larger aircraft on?
If it were possible to space the departures during the day, it could take advantage of different passenger routings. But I think due to the flight duration, necessity of feeder flights, and reasonable origin/arrival times (and curfew?) it can only depart at night.
What is the benefit of flying two very similarly timed flights, aside from the capacity increase? If it's already a JV, why not put one single larger aircraft on?
If it were possible to space the departures during the day, it could take advantage of different passenger routings. But I think due to the flight duration, necessity of feeder flights, and reasonable origin/arrival times (and curfew?) it can only depart at night.
Oct 9, 2015, 12:31 am
#134
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,329
Exactly! That's why it was lots of those people who connecting the flight from SFO to EWR and then TLV. The reason why the flight is always full. There's no way to get a seat.
Oct 9, 2015, 1:30 am
#135
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: I have resided many places, but only ever lived in San Francisco.
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 292
Now someone should have gone and told Jeff that earlier, and avoided an awful lot of trouble.
