Where do the aircraft go for 9 weeks?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: IAD, DCA, SAN
Programs: UA 1K, Hertz PC, AMEX PLAT
Posts: 1,236
Where do the aircraft go for 9 weeks?
Every year from Jan 01 to Mar 06 the redeye flight from SAN to IAD disappears. This is a planned UA route change. Where does this metal go during these 9 weeks. What is the required route that makes this particular route impossible to fly.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,967
Every year from Jan 01 to Mar 06 the redeye flight from SAN to IAD disappears. This is a planned UA route change. Where does this metal go during these 9 weeks. What is the required route that makes this particular route impossible to fly.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
#3
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#4
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Demand drops across the board during the winter. Where possible airlines cut capacity to maintain margins. And the airlines also use to fleet downtime to perform maintenance tasks on planes more aggressively than in the summer when the frames are needed to carry passengers. New seats, IFE or wifi installs typically run more aggressively during the winter than the summer.
UA has way more wide-body aircraft in for mods now than it will during the summer. LH Group is racing to complete as many wifi installs as it can before April or May come around and demand rises. Just the way the industry works.
UA has way more wide-body aircraft in for mods now than it will during the summer. LH Group is racing to complete as many wifi installs as it can before April or May come around and demand rises. Just the way the industry works.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: IAD, DCA, SAN
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Posts: 1,236
I do not know, however, I do not think that the SAN-IAD route is a loss route. The redeye was often sold out and business seats were often sold out as well, a week before the flights.
I'd love to find the data behind profitability on routes though I am sure that is a tightly held industry secret.
I'd love to find the data behind profitability on routes though I am sure that is a tightly held industry secret.
#6
Moderator: United Airlines
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You are very right about that!
#7
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Every year from Jan 01 to Mar 06 the redeye flight from SAN to IAD disappears. This is a planned UA route change. Where does this metal go during these 9 weeks. What is the required route that makes this particular route impossible to fly.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
I fly SAN to IAD weekly and it is ALWAYS full. So this is not a late winter passenger capacity on the route issue.
Basically during these 9 weeks I am required to fly SAN-EWR-IAD. Yuck.
This. Times a 100.
Full has no correlation to profit. What is the average fare paid, and how full is the aircraft? It costs $X for UA to run that flight. If the average fare times number of pax doesn't = X, that flight is not profitable.
I do not know, however, I do not think that the SAN-IAD route is a loss route. The redeye was often sold out and business seats were often sold out as well, a week before the flights.
I'd love to find the data behind profitability on routes though I am sure that is a tightly held industry secret.
I'd love to find the data behind profitability on routes though I am sure that is a tightly held industry secret.
#8
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
#9
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Where do the aircraft go? They fly south for the winter. Nw you know!