UA changes for Australia - seasonal reductions IAH/LAX, adding SFO-MEL
Feb 9, 2019, 2:38 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Programs: UA Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Platinum, Accor Silver, Choice Privileges Gold
Posts: 2,070
Man this blows. I booked a flight from DCA-IAH-SYD (round trip), and now they have me going DCA-IAH-LAX-SYD. And no notice whatsoever; I’d have never known if it were not for this thread. I’d rather change days than add another leg. Or why wouldn’t they just send me straight from DCA to LAX? They picked the worst possible option. tls
Feb 9, 2019, 2:39 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,695
Feb 9, 2019, 3:07 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,446
Man this blows. I booked a flight from DCA-IAH-SYD (round trip), and now they have me going DCA-IAH-LAX-SYD. And no notice whatsoever; I’d have never known if it were not for this thread. I’d rather change days than add another leg. Or why wouldn’t they just send me straight from DCA to LAX? They picked the worst possible option. tls
Feb 9, 2019, 3:12 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL SkyMiles, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 319
I never got a confirmation email notifying be the changes, at least i haven't checked all my filters. At any rate, I was disappointed to see my SYD-IAH flight was switched to SYD-SFO. Fortunately, I was able to tweet with united and they allowed me to rebook my return for the next day (13th sept) so i could still fly SYD-IAH route.
My outbound flight did, however, take a major hit as they changed the equipment to a 737-900. So, it looks like i might not even make it to Australia to do the return flight i fight so hard to get.
Flight
My outbound flight did, however, take a major hit as they changed the equipment to a 737-900. So, it looks like i might not even make it to Australia to do the return flight i fight so hard to get.
Flight
Feb 9, 2019, 3:15 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,163
Feb 9, 2019, 3:25 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Programs: UA Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Platinum, Accor Silver, Choice Privileges Gold
Posts: 2,070
Thanks a bunch to both findark and docbert. If I call them will they charge me? I probably will contact them. Leaving from IAD would work, as would going through SFO. tls
Feb 9, 2019, 3:46 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,163
(As much as I'm joking, they probably could actually do it. HNL-NAN is 3,162 miles which is well within the range for a 737-900, although it would likely be weight limited to get that far)
Feb 9, 2019, 4:45 pm
#23
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,887
Best to have a preferred option in mind (and check the availability seating, that may casue you to select one option over another).
Feb 9, 2019, 8:17 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Sydney, NSW Australia
Posts: 895
I held my preferred seat on the trans-oceanic flight - should I be happy with that ?
I am not too happy with a 7.15pm departure out of LAX to SFO instead of the non-stop at 10.45pm.
Is there a possibility of United Airlines introducing a LAX-BNE flight or beating Qantas to the punch who want to fly non-stop SYD-ORD (once announced but withdrawn before it started over decade ago) or the holy grail (for QF) SYD-NYC non-stop ?
Last edited by Aspen; Feb 9, 2019 at 8:49 pm Reason: wild speculation added
Feb 9, 2019, 9:52 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K (2MM); AA LT Gold (1.9 MM); SQ; WN; DL; "Bonvoy Ambassador""
Posts: 398
Feb 9, 2019, 11:58 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,398
This seems to make sense. I was tracking the actual passenger loads on all of the Australia routes over last summer / fall (US summer and fall) and many of the flights went out with empty seats in J and a half empty Y cabin. I do question the late October restoration of daily Sydney service. Last year, flights were beginning to fill up by the end of September. I would think at least going 5X weekly to/from both locations by the middle of September would better match the gradual seasonal increase in ridership.
I also wonder if they're expecting the SFO-MEL flight to cannibalize existing SYD service. Either way, since IAH-SYD was 5X weekly last summer, the net loss of total AU service is only 2 RTs per week.
I also wonder if they're expecting the SFO-MEL flight to cannibalize existing SYD service. Either way, since IAH-SYD was 5X weekly last summer, the net loss of total AU service is only 2 RTs per week.
Feb 10, 2019, 1:38 am
#27
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
This worked out in my favor actually. I'd booked SFO-IAH-SYD on a Thursday (with a 40min layover in IAH) as IAH-SYD had much more PZ space, they first had rebooked me via LAX and then I called up and they opened space in PZ for me on the non-stop. Net-net pretty happy, though I was sort of curious to try out the 17hr flight, I like these long flights to catch up on my reading without people disturbing me
Feb 10, 2019, 5:06 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: SYD
Programs: UA*1K, BA Gold, SPG Platinum
Posts: 245
UA has a lot of corporate contracts ex-SFO. I get the impression LAX is more a leisure market for Australian travel.
Feb 10, 2019, 6:33 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,012
SFO-MEL is starting out only as 3x weekly. Perhaps they'll increase it to daily down the road. I agree that SFO-SYD ever getting dowgauged is extremely unlikely.
Feb 10, 2019, 9:24 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 287
We had flights LAX-SYD-PER and back, with guaranteed upgrades to business, on a Monday and Wednesday. We are now routed through SFO. We could change to Tuesday/Thursday; current inventory shows upgrades available as well. Is there any reason not to make this change? Do I have to call United?