UA to use A gates at SFO "soon"
 

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...modate-440258/

Well that will be a long hike...

Again?

Appears it will be mainline.
and
there was a bus link last time.

I don't think it's the same - Boarding Area A technically is the International Terminal A1-12 (according to FlySFO). The old area they were using is the part of Terminal 1 that's under construction. It won't be much further than arriving in the G gates that they use today.

this must be why the SFO map on app hasn't worked last few weeks.

For some of us transiting SFO, this will suck. Between ATC delays, runway upgrades and having to leave airside and go back through TSA or riding the bus this will increase the chance of missing connections.

I assume the article means Terminal A? Super annoying to have to take a bus.

You are right, it was the B gates they used last time.

There is no airside connection between the normal UA gates and the A gates. And there will be a fair longer walk that the G Gates.

i assume that's why people mention a bus. Hopefully, that will be in place. Someone said it's annoying, which is fair, but surely less annoying then any connection I've done in the US that requires re-clearing security.

For a time (unless this is still the case), AC split its flightts between A and C gates. Not as problematic as probably less connecting pax, but probably quite a few AC-UA connections which, if arriving at a, would require one to re-clear security. So it happens.

That said, I'm surprised no one, in 8 responses so far, has mentioned the (lack of) lounge on the A side.

Cool so:
(1) Can I transit to the A gates airside without a boarding pass for an A-gate flight?
(2) Will the AF lounge continue to accept Priority Pass?
(3) Does the AF lounge have real Champagne?

I wonder if this means SFO and United will update Boarding Area F? I could use some new carpets.

If principally arriving flights, should be that much of an issue. Generalizing most arriving passengers don't have access and if connecting, there would be a lounge in your departing gate area. If significant number of departures are done, that could become an issue. They did not provide a lounge when using the B gates in the past.

Not in the A gate area.

Would a bus have to go the long way around or are there enough roads to duck under the airport? If the former, reclearing security and walking across the departures hall sounds faster IMO.

A is not connected airside to anything right now, but you can clear security at A with any departing BP - doesn't have to be A gates. I've done this to use the AF lounge before.

Very interesting, my guess is that UA is grabbing them as AS is letting them go as they move some AS flights to VX gates in T2 (D area).

I actually showed up for my DL flight this am, and it was out of gate 47, which has been an AA gate for a while. It appears that AA is giving it up, and I think they also gave up a gate in D area to VX recently, so I wonder where they are going? I wonder if their flight count at SFO is down.

To answer the question, there is a tunnel under the terminal, and so a bus can go straight from T3 (F gates) to the area right by International South (A gates) this is what UA was using when they were still using some of the (now demolished) B gates left over by CO.

I would have thought it would be more sensible for UA to grab whatever gates they can in T2, from AA, VS, AS or whomever. It would be a trivial task knocking a hole through the wall separating T2 and T3 and wouldn't involve buses.

Also, depending upon how many flights this is, IMHO a much more sensible option would be to park the offending flights at a remote stand and bus the passengers to one of the gates at the center of T3 - this way, they emerge near baggage claim and in a central location to reach any connecting flight. I know people hate being bussed but, if you do it sensibly, you can make it a virtue out of a necessity.