Jul 1, 2016, 10:36 am
Last edit by: IBJoel
27 March 2018
United Airlines suspends NZ service (Suspension Period: April 18, 2017 - October 30, 2017)
Per New Zealand Herald quoting UA:
Air New Zealand service between Auckland and Chicago
From Nov. 30, 2018, Air New Zealand will operate three times weekly, year-round service with its new configuration Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Flight time will be approximately 15 hours northbound and just over 16 hours southbound. Air New Zealand code share service will be offered on around 100 flights across the U.S. for convenient connections to Auckland via Chicago. United Airlines operates more flights from its hub at O'Hare International Airport than any other airline, with more than 500 flights to 147 airports across the United States.
United expands service between San Francisco and Auckland
Beginning in April 2019, United will extend service between its West Coast hub in San Francisco and Auckland to year-round with three-times-weekly service. In partnership with Air New Zealand, United's flight arriving in Auckland will offer passengers more than 20 connections across the region. The return trip utilizes United's extensive route network in San Francisco, which provides connections to the United States, Canada, and Latin America. United operates more than 290 daily flights from its hub at San Francisco International Airport to 79 airports across the U.S. and 26 international destinations. Tickets for the expanded San Francisco schedule will be available on united.com and airnewzealand.com later this year.
United service between San Francisco and Auckland will operate with a Boeing 777-300ER between November and March and will operate with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft between April and October.
From Nov. 30, 2018, Air New Zealand will operate three times weekly, year-round service with its new configuration Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Flight time will be approximately 15 hours northbound and just over 16 hours southbound. Air New Zealand code share service will be offered on around 100 flights across the U.S. for convenient connections to Auckland via Chicago. United Airlines operates more flights from its hub at O'Hare International Airport than any other airline, with more than 500 flights to 147 airports across the United States.
United expands service between San Francisco and Auckland
Beginning in April 2019, United will extend service between its West Coast hub in San Francisco and Auckland to year-round with three-times-weekly service. In partnership with Air New Zealand, United's flight arriving in Auckland will offer passengers more than 20 connections across the region. The return trip utilizes United's extensive route network in San Francisco, which provides connections to the United States, Canada, and Latin America. United operates more than 290 daily flights from its hub at San Francisco International Airport to 79 airports across the U.S. and 26 international destinations. Tickets for the expanded San Francisco schedule will be available on united.com and airnewzealand.com later this year.
United service between San Francisco and Auckland will operate with a Boeing 777-300ER between November and March and will operate with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft between April and October.
UA will now fly the 77W on SFO AKL when it resumes operation 29OCT17 - 22MAR18 (from SFO). Overall frequency will be 6 weekly, and increasing to 7 weekly from mid-Dec. UA73/74 is canceled.
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-01sep17/
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-01sep17/
Per New Zealand Herald quoting UA:
This change is in response to seasonal variations, which will also see United Airlines adding an additional three flights per week starting December 18, 2017 after resuming its daily Auckland to San Francisco services on October 31, 2017. This will increase services to a total of 10 United's flights per week during the high seasonal demand period. Passengers who have already purchased tickets during the suspended period are being contacted by the airline and offered flights on the Air New Zealand service instead. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience and advise that customers will not be out of pocket as a result of this shift in scheduling and will retain all frequent flyer benefits."
SFO-AKL JV w/NZ, all year UA metal, 77W Nov18-Mar19, 772 Apr19-Oct19 (+newORD-AKL NZ)
Jan 9, 2017, 12:18 pm
#226
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7
Agree.. the significant number of pax affected might lead to a bigger effort, but wholesale pushing of award tickets to NZ would probably require some sort of agreement between high level management at UA and NZ. Very impressive to see figment7 put in NZ J. The NZ Y to Australia and then UA metal home would be the sort of reaccommodation I would be expecting.
Jan 9, 2017, 12:21 pm
#227
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DEN
Posts: 256
I think figment7 got a great reaccommodation, hopefully others can also. After reading that result, I called UA just now to see if I could get J on ANZ akl-sfo direct, instead of rerouting through Aus. I cited the UA statement about how ticketed passengers would be accommodated on ANZ. Still no dice. At this point I'm just glad to be able to keep any kind of reasonable J booking for that travel date.
Jan 9, 2017, 12:24 pm
#229
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DEN
Posts: 256
I was thinking the same thing, watch once UAL realizes how much they have to pay NZ for the business seats they will keep service year round and we will have to "rebook"!
Jan 9, 2017, 12:30 pm
#230
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
So I wonder if there was an agreement in place prior to this occurring.... If I were NZ, I would love the fact that UA was exiting the route for a while. It certainly has $ value to NZ. Maybe some type of agreement to accomodate UA passengers in a way that softens the blow to UA?
Jan 9, 2017, 12:37 pm
#231
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Where I'm at
Programs: UA 1P 1MM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,744
I believe what an agent tells me about as much as I believe in the Easter Bunny
Jan 9, 2017, 12:53 pm
#232
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: UA:1k; MR: PLT; Hilton: Gold
Posts: 1,324
So I wonder if there was an agreement in place prior to this occurring.... If I were NZ, I would love the fact that UA was exiting the route for a while. It certainly has $ value to NZ. Maybe some type of agreement to accomodate UA passengers in a way that softens the blow to UA?
Jan 9, 2017, 12:53 pm
#233
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,427
I think figment7 got a great reaccommodation, hopefully others can also. After reading that result, I called UA just now to see if I could get J on ANZ akl-sfo direct, instead of rerouting through Aus. I cited the UA statement about how ticketed passengers would be accommodated on ANZ. Still no dice. At this point I'm just glad to be able to keep any kind of reasonable J booking for that travel date.
Jan 9, 2017, 1:04 pm
#234
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 7
Jan 9, 2017, 3:48 pm
#236
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,258
So my wife and I were booked on Business Saver rewards from AKL-SFO-DEN, once the schedule cancellation occured I called and was told sorry no options. I told them thats not acceptable so ended up on AKL(NZ)-SYD(UAL)-LAX-DEN business/first. I then read the message about them supposed to start moving people to the ANZ flight from AKL-SFO so called back this morning and was forced on to the NZ flight from AKL-SFO-DEN in business class on the 777-2. I am not sure if thats a better flight vs the 787 from AKL-SYD on NZ then United 787 from SYD-LAX but it saves about 6 hours of flying and connections. I hope this helps.
Wow. I don't know how you managed this. I have a paid BF ticket; my son has a saver economy award upgraded with GPU. Both of us are GS.
I have talked to 4 different GS reps to re-book things. Every one of them has ruled out the possibility of booking my son in Business on NZ. Instead they have re-routed us through SYD, with him flying coach for 3 hours SYD->AKL.
All I can think is that the Saver+GPU is treated differently from a saver Business award. Or maybe I need to be more forceful with the agents....
Jan 9, 2017, 3:53 pm
#237
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DEN
Posts: 256
Wow. I don't know how you managed this. I have a paid BF ticket; my son has a saver economy award upgraded with GPU. Both of us are GS.
I have talked to 4 different GS reps to re-book things. Every one of them has ruled out the possibility of booking my son in Business on NZ. Instead they have re-routed us through SYD, with him flying coach for 3 hours SYD->AKL.
All I can think is that the Saver+GPU is treated differently from a saver Business award. Or maybe I need to be more forceful with the agents....
I have talked to 4 different GS reps to re-book things. Every one of them has ruled out the possibility of booking my son in Business on NZ. Instead they have re-routed us through SYD, with him flying coach for 3 hours SYD->AKL.
All I can think is that the Saver+GPU is treated differently from a saver Business award. Or maybe I need to be more forceful with the agents....
Jan 9, 2017, 4:10 pm
#238
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
Wow. I don't know how you managed this. I have a paid BF ticket; my son has a saver economy award upgraded with GPU. Both of us are GS.
I have talked to 4 different GS reps to re-book things. Every one of them has ruled out the possibility of booking my son in Business on NZ. Instead they have re-routed us through SYD, with him flying coach for 3 hours SYD->AKL.
All I can think is that the Saver+GPU is treated differently from a saver Business award. Or maybe I need to be more forceful with the agents....
I have talked to 4 different GS reps to re-book things. Every one of them has ruled out the possibility of booking my son in Business on NZ. Instead they have re-routed us through SYD, with him flying coach for 3 hours SYD->AKL.
All I can think is that the Saver+GPU is treated differently from a saver Business award. Or maybe I need to be more forceful with the agents....
Jan 9, 2017, 4:13 pm
#239
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
I'm effectively in your son's boat, and can understand that either within UA or with whatever arrangement they have with NZ it is the ticket that matters and the upgrade instrument is the problem. E.g. NZ can open up I for biz award tickets but there's no way to get PN. That said, I'd love to hear what UA has to say in response to pointing out their statement that you would not come out of pocket to be re-accommodated and that your FF benefits would remain intact.
Barring a generally announced agreement about pushing award/upgrade tickets to NZ J, I would expect that NZ Y to Australia following by positive space J reaccommodation on UA metal via LAX or SFO is the best you're going to get.
Jan 9, 2017, 4:19 pm
#240
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
I don't think that's true - I think it's just that any non-paid fare (upgrade or award) is not necessarily going to be accepted by NZ without additional payment from UA. It sounds like figment7 got extraordinarily lucky in finding a supervisor who would authorize that (or manage to get NZ to force I space).
Barring a generally announced agreement about pushing award/upgrade tickets to NZ J, I would expect that NZ Y to Australia following by positive space J reaccommodation on UA metal via LAX or SFO is the best you're going to get.
Barring a generally announced agreement about pushing award/upgrade tickets to NZ J, I would expect that NZ Y to Australia following by positive space J reaccommodation on UA metal via LAX or SFO is the best you're going to get.