[Confirmed] UA pulling out of KWI/BAH mid-Jan
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: back in the saddle in AMWAJ
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[Confirmed] UA pulling out of KWI/BAH mid-Jan
Was told by KU staff in kwi that UA is pulling out Jan 13th, I have not seen anything on here or from .bomb but it would not surprise me. I used to route via kwi to and from the states back in the day for upgrades.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Interesting. The IAD leg to and from KWI is always filled, for the short add on to and from BAH the plane was mostly empty. Life is full of surprises.
#3
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
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This route was the heaven of mileage runners before March 1, 2015, especially for the Saturday IAD departure. It is not surprising that UA pulls out of this route.
#4
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: DFW
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Posts: 427
Terrible news. Will be there in a few weeks and will ask around if something more official isn't noted.
The timing for the inbound and outbound Lufthansa flight is inferior... Yuck.
The timing for the inbound and outbound Lufthansa flight is inferior... Yuck.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
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Posts: 26,925
Let's hope this is rumor is not confirmed.
IME (I've taken it twice), the flight was wide open in all cabins.
I thought it was a valuable cargo route, though.
IME (I've taken it twice), the flight was wide open in all cabins.
I thought it was a valuable cargo route, though.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: ORD
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I've taken this route a few times all the way to Bahrain and it will be missed. The Lufthansa route gets in like 4 hours later with a stopover in Riyadh, and I think the Turkish route leaves at 5 am, making timing difficult.
Usually the flight is pretty empty, but last time the J cabin was fully booked weeks out with USO entertainers.
I heard a rumor about a year ago from the purser that they wanted to do 787 for Bahrain and one for KWI.
Usually the flight is pretty empty, but last time the J cabin was fully booked weeks out with USO entertainers.
I heard a rumor about a year ago from the purser that they wanted to do 787 for Bahrain and one for KWI.
#8
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
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Posts: 2,529
Would be sad to see this route go but with the draw down of U.S. military in Iraq and Kuwait not surprised to see this go. There had been some rumors last year (???...I think) that speculated this route would be eliminated since they reduced the frequency of flights.
I thought they might down gauge but if this is true I can't say I'm surprised. I've always found the route open in all cabins in the last few years. The draw down hit this route hard.
I thought they might down gauge but if this is true I can't say I'm surprised. I've always found the route open in all cabins in the last few years. The draw down hit this route hard.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
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Without the US Government business, why would anybody fly UA instead of the (generally superior) gulf carriers*?
* Loyalists like us excluded
* Loyalists like us excluded
#10
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
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#11
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: DL; AA; UA; CO; LHLX; NZ; QR; EK; BA
Posts: 7,408
IAD-KWI zeroed out after 11 Jan 2016
Looks like it's true....UA982 IAD-KWI has been zeroed out (i.e., not available for booking) after Jan 11, 2016. Checked a few more days (flight operates from IAD Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat) in January, Feb, March, April, and they all show the flight zeroed out....
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
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So this leaves DXB as UAL's only remaining Gulf service, with DOH dropped last year, and KWI/BAH apparently to follow.
As US military and other government operations in and around the Persian Gulf are reduced, this seems to be an unfortunate consequence. Additionally, with United pulling 10 77A into the domestic fleet, there will likely be certain markets from EWR/ORD/IAD/IAH that still call for 3-cabin service and/or 777 capacity, which can be accommodated with the capacity freed by ending this service.
As US military and other government operations in and around the Persian Gulf are reduced, this seems to be an unfortunate consequence. Additionally, with United pulling 10 77A into the domestic fleet, there will likely be certain markets from EWR/ORD/IAD/IAH that still call for 3-cabin service and/or 777 capacity, which can be accommodated with the capacity freed by ending this service.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2003
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