747200f

I fly SFO-TPE often and it is usually packed so I wasn't surprised UA is putting the 77W on it. With DL out now, any chance we will see an EWR ,ORD or LAX direct?

Rumples

I fly SFO - TPE quite a bit too, but I also take the direct BR flight when I can (prefer Royal Laurel to the old 747 if i'm not in the UD).

I don't think it would make sense for UA to add another LAX - TPE route, I don't usually see a full flight ever on UA/BR and my GPUs always clear.

Just my two cents, but I am stoked to hear about the 77w starting Aug. 1st.

Taipei

I wonder if the new LAX international flight(s) , one will be TPE? In Taipei next month they have promo event for their new business class to wonder if expansion is in the works?

sinoflyer

My money is on LAX-TPE if the rumor of a new intl LAX route turns out to be true (I'm still somewhat skeptical). The local LAX-TPE market probably doesn't justify an extra daily flight right now, but connecting traffic to mainland China and Southeast Asia (KUL, CGK, SUB, HAN, SGN, BKK, etc.) can. Besides, all the speculation about LAX-BKK is pure hogwash considering how low the yields are in that market. If anything, LAX-TPE-BKK would be more likely.

catocony

I think United is done with 5th freedom flights for now. If they only have one left out of NRT, and that one is gone in a few months, they aren't going to start one out of TPE.

A second flight to TPE would make sense if they're going to market more EVA codeshares or something.

goodeats21

I would think they would be hesitant to market EVA codeshares as it may dilute their preferred JV Partner - ANA. They want to sell ANA seats as they share revenue.

username

I think we would be lucky if SFO-TPE does not go away. TPE is not a high yield market and both BR and CI offer more flights and better service.

BR did have a close relationship with NH but I don't see why NH would want to bring BR in.

mahasamatman

When an airline pulls out of a market, there's generally a reason. What makes anyone think United could make it profitable if Delta couldn't?

SFO28L

To be fair, I am not sure Delta has the planes to make this work from SEA or LAX, that seems like it would be the difference.

Kmxu

There are speculations of other routes out of LAX on this thread. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...lax-hub-4.html

flyerbaby19

Don't they have HKG SIN

Taipei

I think this has more to do with TPE-Narita (Tokyo) flight DL had not being profitable any more. With Peach Air, Vanilla Air, TIGER (and a few others) have US$50(or less) one way sale fares Taiwan-Tokyo often , its hard for Delta make the flight work as Delta had a lot of people in the past flying Tokyo-Japan only on higher fares.
United still has base of Mileage Plus members in Taiwan, as well as it's own staff (seems DL had few) as well as better route with O&D from the Bay Area (having sat with staff from many Tech companies often on full fare tickets). About LA area, the local Taiwanese population is by far the biggest in the States which is big market as well large number of Taiwanese companies in the area. The problem is of course EVA and CI have lots of flights to states and expanding, as well possible low cost airlines (Air Asia will fly to Hawaii (soon or now?)and has plans to expand to California

Kacee

Currently UA doesn't sell anything but full fare tickets on BR, so unless there's a significant codeshare relationship brewing, TPE would not be very useful for connecting off a UA flight.

channa

SFO is a big market, and UA operates it nonstop. DL required a NRT connection from anywhere in the US, making their schedule generally less attractive from markets with nonstop service.

Plus UA has a stronger hub in SFO than DL has in SEA to get more connections 1-stop via SFO than DL could via NRT.

sincx

The PRC government theoretically does not allow passengers traveling to/from the mainland to connect in Taiwan. If and how this is enforced is an open question.