Apr 15, 2019, 2:02 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
]United Airlines Preparing New Nonstop Seasonal Service Between New York/Newark and Cape Town, South Africa
United's new nonstop service will save customers nearly eight hours of travel time roundtrip between New York and Cape Town
CHICAGO, April 15, 2019
United Airlines today applied with the U.S. Department of Transportation for authority to begin new service between New York/Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Town International Airport. United plans to operate nonstop three-times weekly flights to Cape Town starting in December 2019.
"We are always looking at ways to expand our industry-leading international route network to offer our customers more convenient options. We're thrilled to announce the addition of Africa to our global route offering," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network. "
This new flight will provide customers with the only nonstop service between the United States and Cape Town." United's nonstop service between New York/Newark and Cape Town will decrease the current travel time from New York to Cape Town by more than four hours and provide customers from more than 80 U.S. cities with easy one-stop access to Cape Town. If approved, United's service between New York/Newark and Cape Town will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 48 seats in United Polaris business class, 88 seats in United Economy Plus and 116 seats in United Economy.
United's new nonstop service will save customers nearly eight hours of travel time roundtrip between New York and Cape Town
CHICAGO, April 15, 2019
United Airlines today applied with the U.S. Department of Transportation for authority to begin new service between New York/Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Town International Airport. United plans to operate nonstop three-times weekly flights to Cape Town starting in December 2019.
"We are always looking at ways to expand our industry-leading international route network to offer our customers more convenient options. We're thrilled to announce the addition of Africa to our global route offering," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network. "
This new flight will provide customers with the only nonstop service between the United States and Cape Town." United's nonstop service between New York/Newark and Cape Town will decrease the current travel time from New York to Cape Town by more than four hours and provide customers from more than 80 U.S. cities with easy one-stop access to Cape Town. If approved, United's service between New York/Newark and Cape Town will be operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 48 seats in United Polaris business class, 88 seats in United Economy Plus and 116 seats in United Economy.
Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and the country's center of trade and commerce. Located at the shore of Table Bay, the city is home to some of the most popular attractions in South Africa including Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Travelers to South Africa often begin their African journey in Cape Town before touring the Cape Winelands, viewing the African penguins at Boulder Beach or traveling beyond Cape Town to explore South Africa's natural beauty including its many national parks, game reserves and beautiful coastlines and beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces.
26 April 2019
Update: APPROVED ^
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...flight-457638/
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...flight-457638/
Best Routing for UA flyer (Paid/Miles) to South Africa (JNB, CPT, ...)[Consolidated]
UA to launch Seasonal EWR-CPT - 3x Weekly year-round starting 5 June 2022
Apr 15, 2019, 2:39 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Outside of Cleveland Ohio
Programs: UA *G. DL ̶G̶O̶L̶D̶ Member, Hilton/SPG Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 362
my mistake, the cookies on great circle must have reset on my last update. 6893nm not 7817! big difference!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 15, 2019 at 2:53 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Apr 15, 2019, 3:11 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
What do FT sages think the prospects of code sharing on this route with AC will be?
AC runs a very convenient YVR-EWR 787 that usually lands between 6:00 and 7:30 pm. Would that make a viable connection, especially on a code share?
AC runs a very convenient YVR-EWR 787 that usually lands between 6:00 and 7:30 pm. Would that make a viable connection, especially on a code share?
Apr 15, 2019, 3:17 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,153
Apr 15, 2019, 3:22 pm
#37
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,844
Apr 15, 2019, 3:24 pm
#38
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
Is it unusual to have a 3x/week start? Definitely a sign that they're expecting mostly leisure travelers. Are there any actual UA employees there, or will the operation be outsourced? If there are UA employees, what do they do the rest of the time when they're not managing the short turn of 3 incoming and 3 outgoing flights per week?
I am sure UA has accounted for this. I am assuming they are expecting it to be a cargo light route.
Apr 15, 2019, 3:31 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt GLOB, Marriott Lifetime PLT, UA 1K 1MM.
Posts: 1,728
I just came back from Cape Town this past winter, and it was one of the most amazing places I've been to. I was flying in from Asia (ICN-SIN-JNB-CPT) and the return was a 12 hour layover in Europe (CPT-MUC-EWR) and being able to go direct from where I live is huge for me. I've always wanted to take friends there but the long travel time has been a major deterrent, and while 15 hours is still a long time, it's still better/faster than connecting in Europe or the Middle East, especially with a bird that has PE on it.
+1 to this being good news in my eyes. Excited at the prospect of returning to CPT.
Apr 15, 2019, 3:32 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 18,006
Wow, this is very cool.
In reading the news it appears to only be seasonal, during the Northern Hemisphere winter, ending March 2020. I have wanted to go explore SA for years, isn't the best safari season in the Northern Hemisphere summer?
In reading the news it appears to only be seasonal, during the Northern Hemisphere winter, ending March 2020. I have wanted to go explore SA for years, isn't the best safari season in the Northern Hemisphere summer?
Apr 15, 2019, 3:56 pm
#43
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
If Safari is your primary goal, JNB is closer to the Safari destinations anyway. You can go on Safari any time of year, but it's the dry season in the Northern Hemisphere summer meaning the animals congregate around watering holes and the bush is less thick, so more chance of seeing everything, including kills, etc. I like the heat and the lush greenness of the rainy season and you still get to see enough animals in my experience. CPT, on the other hand, gets quite a lot of rain in the winter (northern hemisphere summer) and is not the same sort of beach destination at that time of year.
Apr 15, 2019, 3:59 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 18,006
If Safari is your primary goal, JNB is closer to the Safari destinations anyway. You can go on Safari any time of year, but it's the dry season in the Northern Hemisphere summer meaning the animals congregate around watering holes and the bush is less thick, so more chance of seeing everything, including kills, etc. I like the heat and the lush greenness of the rainy season and you still get to see enough animals in my experience. CPT, on the other hand, is quite rainy in the winter (northern hemisphere summer) and not the same sort of beach destination at that time of year.