UA to Launch LAX-SIN!
#31
Join Date: Mar 2005
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United has served Singapore for more than 30 years and today operates daily nonstop service between Singapore and SFO with Boeing 787-9 aircraft. With the launch of new nonstop service between SIN and LAX on Oct. 29, the airline will terminate service from Hong Kong (HKG) to SIN on Oct. 27, and from SIN to HKG on Oct. 28. United will continue to operate daily service between SIN and SFO.
#32
formerly bulgarianfreak55
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The official Wikipedia range of the 789 is 7635 nm, and LAX-SIN is 7623. Adding fuel reserve requirements and westbound winds, I am really interested to see how they make this work.
#33
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#34
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#35
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"Soaring" - Gliding while maintaining altitude, thus flying a heavier-than-air craft by using ascending currents of air.
When TG was doing their 17 hour LAX-BKK flights, I did about 5 r/t's, and it was a killer!
#36
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Note, too, that flying westbound there are a number of alternates as you get closer to SIN -- such a MNL or SGN. So if fuel runs short, you needn't get your feet wet.
#37
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#39
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Well the 350-9 has a slightly (about 500 sm) longer range than the 787-9. So color me surprised. While I would not expect much cargo demand for LAX-SIN (the issue is westbound vs the jet stream) the plane is going to go out weight restricted much of the time.
My guess is that they have demand from corporate accounts ex-LA (mostly media/advertising/creative) but are losing enough of it via SFO to SQ's better product, and as a result, since they have spare aircraft, decided to just accept blocking seats to be able to try to secure that LAX premium traffic.
It will be interesting to see if SQ just matches them, and is willing to run the A359 weight restricted, until they get the ULH version.
My guess is that they have demand from corporate accounts ex-LA (mostly media/advertising/creative) but are losing enough of it via SFO to SQ's better product, and as a result, since they have spare aircraft, decided to just accept blocking seats to be able to try to secure that LAX premium traffic.
It will be interesting to see if SQ just matches them, and is willing to run the A359 weight restricted, until they get the ULH version.
I will most likely never take this flight, as I hate connecting in LAX and love connecting in SFO, but love to see UA expanding and not shrinking. Didn't see this coming, where they are launching SIN before HKG and ICN (maybe even TPE as well...).
Very curious to see how SQ will respond. They did not want to launch SFO-SIN before they got the A359 ULH, but did so reluctantly so UA would not completely take over the market. LAX-SIN has more O&D than SFO-SIN and the A380 should be able to make this flight, so I could easily see them cancelling one of the fifth freedom flights and scheduling a nonstop. More likely, they cancel one of the fifth freedoms and schedule an A350 and will just switch it out to a ULH version once they arrive (like what they may do in SFO).
#40
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I guess that effectively kills any possible GPU's to Singapore. Anyone flying from the east coast to SIN will have to endure an even longer flight and all in Y. Literally 24hrs in Y. At this point, I think I'd prefer flying EWR-HKG (in J) and then some other airline to SIN. Though there are probably few options that late.
#42
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Will it be worth making a change, as they are in the same *A? I'd choose a stop with SQ over nonstop in UA, for the comfort factors.
#43
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Wow! What a nice surprise! I was wonder if you can fly more than 18 hours. Well, it will be too impossible for me. It's very uncomfortable to flying.
#45
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I guess that effectively kills any possible GPU's to Singapore. Anyone flying from the east coast to SIN will have to endure an even longer flight and all in Y. Literally 24hrs in Y. At this point, I think I'd prefer flying EWR-HKG (in J) and then some other airline to SIN. Though there are probably few options that late.
I think our only hope is they move the flight back 4-6 hours and arrive early afternoon in HKG