"Our commitment to California" email
Jan 9, 2018, 10:20 pm
#61
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,552
But how can United compete with LCCs doing their best to go after the California customer? Maybe they could create a special division... they could call it... I got it... TED. RAR!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_(airline)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_(airline)
Jan 9, 2018, 11:36 pm
#62
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
I already see United ramping up California operations - Kirby himself feels the need to increase the number of daily passengers from regional airports in CA to their hubs, SFO/LAX. Frankly I welcome it.
Where I think they can do better, however, is that they have minimal ground crew in places like FAT yet they have 3 flights out at a time with hours of lull in between - meaning that they don't have the ground crew capacity so one or two of the three flights go out late every time.
Where I think they can do better, however, is that they have minimal ground crew in places like FAT yet they have 3 flights out at a time with hours of lull in between - meaning that they don't have the ground crew capacity so one or two of the three flights go out late every time.
Jan 10, 2018, 12:35 am
#63
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SMF/SFO
Programs: UA, HHonors
Posts: 113
I know of several state employees who used to fly SMF-ACV direct, on a prop plane of course, but at least you could easily do a round trip on a single day and still get a full day's work in.
No more. You have to do SMF-SFO-ACV. Everyone realized it takes just as long to drive, so I'm sure there's an expiration date on the SFO-ACV segment. Those planes are so damn empty it's only a matter of time.
No more. You have to do SMF-SFO-ACV. Everyone realized it takes just as long to drive, so I'm sure there's an expiration date on the SFO-ACV segment. Those planes are so damn empty it's only a matter of time.
Jan 10, 2018, 12:48 am
#64
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Central California and on the Road
Posts: 297
I know of several state employees who used to fly SMF-ACV direct, on a prop plane of course, but at least you could easily do a round trip on a single day and still get a full day's work in.
No more. You have to do SMF-SFO-ACV. Everyone realized it takes just as long to drive, so I'm sure there's an expiration date on the SFO-ACV segment. Those planes are so damn empty it's only a matter of time.
No more. You have to do SMF-SFO-ACV. Everyone realized it takes just as long to drive, so I'm sure there's an expiration date on the SFO-ACV segment. Those planes are so damn empty it's only a matter of time.
Jan 10, 2018, 1:03 am
#65
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 548
[QUOTE=abaheti;29272959]I've said it before and will say it again, I miss TED.... I/QUOTE]
No! Perish the thought. I hated TED. And please no one propose a President TED.
No! Perish the thought. I hated TED. And please no one propose a President TED.
Jan 10, 2018, 1:20 am
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pasadena, California
Programs: UA 1K, 1MM
Posts: 10,412
Where I think they can do better, however, is that they have minimal ground crew in places like FAT yet they have 3 flights out at a time with hours of lull in between - meaning that they don't have the ground crew capacity so one or two of the three flights go out late every time.
While I'd prefer to get somewhere within California on UA with a connection over flying non-stop on WN (maybe a minority opinion), forcing these types of connection through SFO seems like a big mistake. Count me in the camp of those who'd prefer more service to more markets over more mainline flights.
Jan 10, 2018, 5:44 am
#67
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
The flight that made me 1K for the very first time in 1997 was.... BUR-FAT on UAX. I still have that boarding pass.
Jan 10, 2018, 5:44 pm
#68
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
UA has been growing Fresno in recent months. After being dominant at FAT for decades UA/UAX had fallen behind AA/Eagle in O&D passengers and was only a few thousand passengers ahead of the Alaska branded flights.
UA already converted 1 of the SFO-FAT frequencies back to mainline last August. A 2nd SFO-FAT frequency is converting to mainline in late April 2018. LAX-FAT frequency on UAX is also being increased.
Then a few weeks ago UA announced a ORD-FAT E75 flight beginning in June 2018.
Surprising for FAT to be receiving new service from UA, especially the return of mainline flights.
UA already converted 1 of the SFO-FAT frequencies back to mainline last August. A 2nd SFO-FAT frequency is converting to mainline in late April 2018. LAX-FAT frequency on UAX is also being increased.
Then a few weeks ago UA announced a ORD-FAT E75 flight beginning in June 2018.
Surprising for FAT to be receiving new service from UA, especially the return of mainline flights.
I took the 737 mainline from Fresno last month, but I have to say that the ticket counter and ground staff can't really keep up that early in the morning with that flight, DEN, and LAX all leaving within 20-30 minutes of each other.... I will say it was the fastest flight I've ever taken FAT-SFO though.
Jan 10, 2018, 7:54 pm
#69
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
Programs: Fomerly UA 1K, now Gold... next year, who knows?
Posts: 1,432
Years ago, I was a very loyal UA flyer. It's hard to pick an exact point in time where things changed in my mind, but I think it all began with Smisek and his "I think you’ll like the changes you see ..." statement.
Well, Jeff and the UA board missed the side of the barn with that one... and the subsequent changes, so here we are.
And when UA says they are making another change we will like, my initial reaction is pessimism.
Can they turn the ship around? Of course... but will they?
Well, Jeff and the UA board missed the side of the barn with that one... and the subsequent changes, so here we are.
And when UA says they are making another change we will like, my initial reaction is pessimism.
Can they turn the ship around? Of course... but will they?
Jan 11, 2018, 12:27 am
#70
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
I've said it before and will say it again, I miss TED.... I flew up and town intra-California a LOT in those days and never thought twice about taking United. Pre-9/11 security, cheap, easy, competed very well against WN and for me always won. But even post-TED, I still took UA between LAX, BUR, SAN, OAK, SJC, SMF all the time, now I never think UA for intra-California. Always WN.
Not too smart, when their competitors had F/C ALL-THE-WAY! These were just a few of the bright ideas that failed, BIG TIME, and BE is right behind!
If it ain't broken they'll fix it!!!
Jan 11, 2018, 6:51 am
#71
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
The people that flew from Europe (FIRST CLASS) and connected to TED or the SHUTTLE weren't too pleased about being transferred to a crap economy seat on a 5 or 6 hour flight from IAD, EWR, JFK to the west coast.
Not too smart, when their competitors had F/C ALL-THE-WAY! These were just a few of the bright ideas that failed, BIG TIME, and BE is right behind!
If it ain't broken they'll fix it!!!
Not too smart, when their competitors had F/C ALL-THE-WAY! These were just a few of the bright ideas that failed, BIG TIME, and BE is right behind!
If it ain't broken they'll fix it!!!
Jan 11, 2018, 10:55 am
#72
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,552
Intra-California I think I was mostly on Shuttle, and we had first class (which I got bumped up to almost every time). But even with TED inside California I don't recall the planes being any different. Never flew anything but normal UA when leaving the north-south California treks. For the (basically) one hour flights between LAX-OAK-SMF-SJC-SFO-SAN, it was all great and easy.