Darlox

Agreed, this would be awesome. Great leisure route, but I hope (if true) they follow the TN timing of leaving mid-afternoon, arriving late-night - instead of the AF timing of leaving late-night, arriving at the crack of dawn.

I was lucky enough to visit there way back in the day, when AF+NW+CO was still a thing, and just recall that flight being an extra-special misery. Sort of the Europe red-eye problem on crack, where until they finished the meal service and turned off the cabin lights, you got maybe 3-4 hours of sleep before they woke you up for breakfast and started clattering around again. Combined with a puddle-jumper flight to Moorea or Bora Bora, and it made the first couple days of vacation a real jet-laggy drag.

Second time, took the TN flight LAX-PPT, got in at bedtime, got a good night's sleep, and had a great day!

But I suspect this is a pipe dream. With 1-or-less frequency per day, they'll want to maximize connecting traffic.

EWRMAN

Would be great publicity. Can then cancel quietly after 6 months

JVPhoto

When I was studying abroad in Italy my family went to FP and I've never forgiven them for it. Of all the years to not go to Hawaii again! My Mom has expressed the past few years she wants to go back but I've always deflected the efforts since it doesn't workout well for MileagePlus earnings.

NH_Clark

+1

seat38a

I think the problem with AF is that the plane is part of the CDG - LAX - PPT rotation vs TN with most of their flights rotating on between LAX - PPT. Back in the 90's, when AOM, AF and Corsair all seemed to have their flights optimized more for LAX - Paris than PPT.

escapefromphl

Meh, yeah United will want to make money on this route, don't expect prices to drop. To me FP is delightful with the level of tourism it has now. Hopefully it never goes the way of Maui by building huge megaresorts etc. So prices will remain high and out of reach of most Americans, apart from us frequent fliers, those who can afford $10K on a weeks vacation and those willing to rough it in local hotels. I can't really see this working with more than 1 flight a week similar to Hawaiian.

seat38a

From what I have read, due to the convoluted land ownership laws in FP, you won't see mega resorts like the ones in Maui. I can't find the article anymore but many hotels that used to operate in Tahiti such as the Hyatt, Club Med and the hotel my family stayed at in Moorea now sit abandoned and rotting away because of the landownership law.

ps9a

Very excited for this route if indeed it happens. We get a bit spoiled in SF not having to connect on most routes, but FP is one of the exceptions. Can't stand the LAX connect and would love a way to avoid it.

Darlox

Not my area of expertise, and my French is abysmal, but I do recall chatting with people in the pension we stayed at on Moorea about this. At least ~6 years ago, it was a hot-button issue between the locals who want the tourism economy to grow, and those that want the islands to remain quieter. There's apparently all kinds of regulations in place impacting everything from power usage, to water/sewage handling, to transportation to & from the airport and port, that any new major development has to clear -- that increase the costs exponentially. (Above the already-huge baseline cost of just getting raw construction materials and equipment there, in the first place.) There was some project underway back then to try and pump cold seawater from deep off the coasts in to use for air conditioning, and other efforts to harness or generate offshore power. Basically, if a mega-resort couldn't be effectively self-sustaining, it was my understanding that it's almost impossible to get one built. Existing properties can continue operating, but apparently even if a major hotel/resort changes hands, some of the criteria had to be met, so there's not a lot of buyers willing to take that on.

Zero idea if that's still true, or if the situation has gotten better/worse (depending on your perspective!)

narvik

Yes, and flying via Nantucket can get quite annoying!
(Sorry, couldn't resist; I knew you meant AKL...)

mh3265a

Or they could island hop and then have a Micronesian Island Hopper and add this possible Polynesian Island Hopper service. Would be unique to United.

Regardless, if they start some level of SFO-PPT service would be great for United.

coolbeans202

I would love for this to come about! I could see UA using a 788 on the route

rankourabu

ok am I the only one who doesnt get the comments along the lines of "oh great now I can finally go there"?

Like, there are already two widebody nonstop flights to PPT - anyone can go at any time....

NH_Clark

Wait... UA has 2 widebody nonstop flights from the US to PPT ?!

Darlox

I think it's more along the lines of: If you're a UA/*A flyer, there's currently no way to get there using any kind of benefits, and French Polynesia is insanely expensive for most people to "just go" and pay out of pocket.

Having been (for cash), I have to say that I'd go back in a heartbeat, but I'm not sure I'd pay full-bore to go again. There's lots of other places on Earth (and beyond) that I can't go on points, and I'd rather use my hard-earned cash to go somewhere new instead.

But a "cheap", opportunistic points-acquired seat to PPT for a quick vacation sometime? Heck yes - in a heartbeat.