Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Winning the West Coast

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:22 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
Programs: papa card, UA 1K
Posts: 707
I would use EWR - SNA + SJC, I wouldn't use OAK. My first flight to CA was to OAK - not the greatest airport and the surrounds aren't the best either - haven't been there since.

Last edited by ermintrude; Nov 17, 2017 at 12:09 pm Reason: added SJC
ermintrude is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 8:39 am
  #17  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,424
Originally Posted by ermintrude
I would use EWR - SNA, I wouldn't use OAK. My first flight to CA was to OAK - not the greatest airport and the surrounds aren't the best either - haven't been there since.
OAK is a great airport. . . . similar to BUR or SNA in its compactness and ease of use. And since when do the immediate airport "surrounds" matter? There's a reason you don't find airports in places like Beverly Hills.

There are millions of east bay residents for whom OAK is more convenient than SFO. There's a reason DL, AA, AS, B6, BA, and WN are all there.
Kacee is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 8:43 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Originally Posted by Kacee
IMO the big hole in California for UA is OAK. DL, AA, AS, B6, BA, and of course WN with a huge operation, are all there.
Wait, people actually go to OAK? ;-)
Collierkr is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 8:53 am
  #19  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Originally Posted by minnyfly
....

UA has a LAX-YVR flight ....
Also on a regional jet. But it does allow a one stop connection to fly to MEL, which was noted as a 2 stop ordeal from PDX. I'm booked on that regional jet enroute back from MEL in 2018.
transportprof is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 10:16 am
  #20  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,859
Originally Posted by Collierkr
Wait, people actually go to OAK? ;-)
Traffic has gotten so much worse in the Bay Area these days that customers who a few years ago would have reluctantly gone to SFO would now likely jump at an option to not spend hours in traffic.
BearX220 likes this.
escapefromphl is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 10:29 am
  #21  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Originally Posted by escapefromphl
Traffic has gotten so much worse in the Bay Area these days that customers who a few years ago would have reluctantly gone to SFO would now likely jump at an option to not spend hours in traffic.
Agreed if you have business on the east bay side. I have taken the PATH back and forth which works well but taskes forever.
Collierkr is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 10:47 am
  #22  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,424
Originally Posted by Collierkr
Agreed if you have business on the east bay side. I have taken the PATH back and forth which works well but taskes forever.
I think you mean BART.

The population of Alameda and Contra Costa counties alone is over 2.6 million; that doesn't include the many residents of the central valley for whom OAK is more convenient than SFO.

I forgot to add that HA has a large operation at OAK as well.
Kacee is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 11:09 am
  #23  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,444
I think a 2-3x/day operation on OAK-DEN with contract ground handling would be easily workable. WN is in the market with better frequency, but fares are not super-low (no ULCC competition) and the two coexist elsewhere, so I think it could be done.
EWR764 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 5:40 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: TPE, SF, DC
Programs: UA Lifetime GS 4mm
Posts: 891
SFO face not only worsening traffic in Bay Area, but also continued frequent delays from limited runway availability, and high wind/bad weather [generally not affecting SJC and OAK]. It is logical UA should offer additional new routes out of OAK and SJC.
While UA avoid fierce intra-CA competition, it's logical for routes to its hubs in east coast ORD/EWR/IAD and to key markets like SJC-AUS [high tech industry route].

Where to find extra mainline planes is the challenge.
npei is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 5:49 pm
  #25  
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
Originally Posted by usbusinesstraveller
Well here at PDX we've got the daytime non-stop to EWR back. That's progress after the Smisek cuts (thanks Scott).

Now how about bringing PDX-LAX back? We don't need the full Shuttle by United, or the UX Brasilia's to Seattle, Eugene or Medford. But a connecting service to get other UA options to Asia would be good. LAX-MEL would mean nothing to me as it's currently a 2-stop from PDX vs 1-stop on DL/VA and AA/QF.
I've been a PDX UA flyer for 10 years, commuting to SFO and beyond -- Usually 1K or Platinum -- and am about to return to 1K and cross 1M miles.. and expect that my flying is going to shift significantly away from UA. With lifetime Gold status, I'll fly AS when the schedule/destination/fare is more convenient which is most places on the west coast plus BOS (and increasingly, beyond). With no PDX-SEA or PDX-LAX and making EWR a red-eye, UA generally made it a lot harder for me to fly them without significant extra effort. Looking forward to spending less of that effort (and frankly avoiding SFO connections which have been really screwing me lately).
noah is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:25 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
I wonder how UA will respond to DL launching Delta One service from JFK-SAN. Will UA upgauge to lay flats?

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ego-las-vegas/

Edit: Updated from SNA to SAN

Last edited by JHake10; Nov 17, 2017 at 6:45 pm
JHake10 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:27 pm
  #27  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,370
Originally Posted by JHake10
I wonder how UA will respond to DL launching Delta One service from JFK-SNA. Will UA upgauge to lay flats?

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ego-las-vegas/
Link says SAN, not SNA.
jsloan is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:34 pm
  #28  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Originally Posted by npei
SFO face not only worsening traffic in Bay Area, but also continued frequent delays from limited runway availability, and high wind/bad weather [generally not affecting SJC and OAK]. It is logical UA should offer additional new routes out of OAK and SJC.
.
No, it isn't. Thirty years of airline hub development history disagrees with you. United has lots of headroom to upgauge domestic flights into SFO to gain seat capacity. The reason to go into SJC or OAK would be competitor yields, high enough to overcome competing with your own SFO hub. Do you think OAK is a high yield hub? I don't - not with Southwest's presence.
3Cforme is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:40 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,998
Originally Posted by JHake10
I wonder how UA will respond to DL launching Delta One service from JFK-SNA. Will UA upgauge to lay flats?

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ego-las-vegas/
They don't have the planes for it. In hindsight, mothballing / selling all the old sUA 752s was a missed opportunity...they could have retrofitted them and had a huge lie-flat fleet for premium TCON service.

Oh well
PsiFighter37 is offline  
Old Nov 17, 2017, 6:46 pm
  #30  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
Originally Posted by jsloan
Link says SAN, not SNA.
Reading to fast. Post updated.

Still wonder if UA would try to complete on that.

Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
They don't have the planes for it. In hindsight, mothballing / selling all the old sUA 752s was a missed opportunity...they could have retrofitted them and had a huge lie-flat fleet for premium TCON service.

Oh well
I've updated my post to reflect Delta will add Delta One from JFK-SAN (misread as SNA originally). Even so, I wonder if UA will upgauge this. However, as you mentioned, it seems it may not be in the cards aircraft wise.
JHake10 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.