New UA Destinations coming soon Rumors
Aug 8, 2018, 8:29 pm
#286
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite, National Executive, United Gold
Posts: 1,181
Yes! 
Can we get back to more exotic locations. At one point a poll was discussed. I believe it had a limitation of 15 choices. I'm pretty new to FT so don't know how to fire up a poll, but it someone does, here are my contributions to the pool of 15 choices. Let's limit the poll to exciting locations that would also have enough business-class volume to justify the route.
EWR - Moscow
Can we get back to more exotic locations. At one point a poll was discussed. I believe it had a limitation of 15 choices. I'm pretty new to FT so don't know how to fire up a poll, but it someone does, here are my contributions to the pool of 15 choices. Let's limit the poll to exciting locations that would also have enough business-class volume to justify the route.EWR - Moscow
Aug 8, 2018, 8:29 pm
#287
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
Posts: 3,225
Yes, but it's just not a big country. Population = NYC population. Also, TLV not a practical connection to anywhere. Neighboring countries (Turkey, Gulf, Egypt) all have ample direct flights. In the old days, it was a connection point to India for TWA, but Gulf airlines have taken that business...
Aug 8, 2018, 11:12 pm
#290
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,268
Heck, FAT didn't even have a full service airside restaurant until after the 2002 terminal expansion. Prior to that you could buy muffins and coffee next to the UA gates, and that was even closed during construction (it took up part of the construction space/entrance in the main corridor). There were a few snacks in the 'news shop' but otherwise it was pre-security for a meal. A lounge in FAT, lol and I enjoyed that airport post expansion.
You know your local airport is starting to get less podunk when the new terminal or terminal expansion means you no longer have to re-clear security if you want to pee before getting on the plane.
The upside of the wee airports is that security line times tend to be of the ten minutes or less variety and showing up at the airport 45 minutes before departure is plenty of time to make your flight. I couldn't imagine driving 4+ hours to an airport with a lounge for that reason and losing the convenience of a small airport with those kind of easy wait times, especially since the plane out of Wee Field is headed off to Giant Hub with its lounges and other options anyways.
Aug 12, 2018, 1:32 pm
#291
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
All the rich Saffers I know in NYC all live in Cape Town and I see them flying J a few times a year.
Aug 12, 2018, 2:59 pm
#292
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
I don't see why it couldn't be seasonal for the safari + cape tourists. I spent about $20,000 on hotels/safari/J airfare and the only reason I went to JNB was for my connection to CPT and then flying back home after I left Kruger.
All the rich Saffers I know in NYC all live in Cape Town and I see them flying J a few times a year.
All the rich Saffers I know in NYC all live in Cape Town and I see them flying J a few times a year.
Aug 12, 2018, 8:16 pm
#293
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
My source isn’t very knowledgeable but I am hearing IAH-PVG and IAH-ZRH will be started. I suppose it makes sense because the aircraft could do a Pacific-Atlantic pattern.
Aug 12, 2018, 9:17 pm
#294
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Either one would continue UA’s seeming strategy of flying to destinations it already covers from other hubs - so new routes, not new destinations.
Aug 12, 2018, 9:59 pm
#295
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
Given the (potentially? already?) explosive situation in ZA, CPT/JNB are the last destinations I would expect UA to open service.
With AA exiting ORD-PEK this fall, could UA believe that it could pick up some residual U.S.-China demand? Doubtful too considering that U.S.-China is currently oversaturated.
With AA exiting ORD-PEK this fall, could UA believe that it could pick up some residual U.S.-China demand? Doubtful too considering that U.S.-China is currently oversaturated.
Aug 12, 2018, 11:07 pm
#296
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
My understanding is that it was not just in F but also in E+ that was upgrades instead of purchases.
FAT not having a shared lounge is not unusual for an airport in a metro area this size. For example, I believe there is no airline or shared lounge in Omaha which is a similar sized metro with a large business travel base. Boise is another example I can think of off the top of my head.
FAT not having a shared lounge is not unusual for an airport in a metro area this size. For example, I believe there is no airline or shared lounge in Omaha which is a similar sized metro with a large business travel base. Boise is another example I can think of off the top of my head.
Honestly, from the time of getting to the airport to boarding the plane there really isn't any time to go to a lounge anyway.
I would much rather fly to SFO and connect there, and enjoy the Polaris lounge for 3-5 hours rather than driving simply because it's a whole lot easier to fly than drive.
Also, I have been upgraded on every single FAT flight as a 1K in the past three years, of course not on the CRJ-200's but every plane with a "first class" I've been upgraded.
Aug 12, 2018, 11:32 pm
#298
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
And there are just enough frequencies. One weekly never assigned by the DOT, three surrendered by UA (ex GUM-PVG) and the three ex SFO-HGH frequencies (don’t think they’ve been surrendered).
But even if the DOT granted authority there’s actually getting the landing/take off slots at PVG. It took almost 2 years for UA to get slots for the second daily SFO-PVG. PVG is slot constrained and the dominant airline is China Eastern (SkyTeam/Delta partner). Hence political and commercial difficulties.
Aug 13, 2018, 2:43 am
#299
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,337
IAD-PEK-IAD is one of the easiest routes to clear upgrades,IMHO. Even with all the upgrades cleared, you could observe 1/3 of J goes out empty on the the 36-seat 788 on certain dates.
Aug 15, 2018, 8:25 pm
#300
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA GS 4MM, Marriott Lifetime Ti
Posts: 24
Is BKK in UA's future?
I recently had a conversation with a long time UA employee who indicated that management is intending to return to BKK maybe in the next year. There is a lot of demand from measure travelers and very little direct service from mainland USA.