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Why does UA still run HNL-NRT?

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Old May 10, 2019, 12:27 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by jhayes_1780
While I agree on the cargo reason.... Does UA have much government/military traffic HNL-NRT?
Wouldn't surprise me if so - large bases in HNL and of course parts of Japan. But probably not enough to carry the route.
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Old May 10, 2019, 2:36 pm
  #17  
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
On the other hand, a lot of *G UA passengers don't have a clue about lounges access intricacies, especially those who fly almost exclusively domestically.
I think very few will know of the option, and even fewer will be willing to make the relatively long walk.
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Old May 10, 2019, 3:47 pm
  #18  
 
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While a/c utilization is a reason to keep it around and not drop the flight for a more profitable route, if this route were a money loser UA would most likely keep the a/c on the ground in NRT overnight (assuming the parking costs are less than the loss on the route).

However, HNL-TYO is a very busy route with ~13 daily flights and more seats than LAX-HNL. I think you could fairly ask why DL and KE both fly this route as well and the simple answer is the route makes money and they have aircraft available for the flight.
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Old May 10, 2019, 3:49 pm
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Do not discount the amount of military traffic on this route. Remember that HNL doubles as a military base and the large amount of troops stationed in Japan dating to after WW2.UAL being the largest to the islands also helps due to connecting traffic. Likely not much from the mainland, since there are direct flights, but I have done it before.

Completely anecdotal, but I’ve met several stationed in Japan on this flight in the past, and the military likely contracts with a US carrier over a foreign one if the option exists.
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Old May 10, 2019, 5:04 pm
  #20  
 
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I would assume because it offers an acceptable return on investment, which is why businesses typically make any of their decisions.
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Old May 10, 2019, 5:36 pm
  #21  
 
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UA still runs this route because tourist visits in Hawaii set a new record of 10 million visitors last year, and I am pretty sure, after Americans, Japanese, and others from Asia are the second largest group of visitors.

Now that Southwest is flying to Hawaii, I see United has added capacity back...for example 772s are back on the schedule for OGG now, from SFO.
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Old May 10, 2019, 6:13 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by BlueZebra
Now that Southwest is flying to Hawaii, I see United has added capacity back...for example 772s are back on the schedule for OGG now, from SFO.
There is not necessarily any correlation between WN commencing service to Hawaii and UA changing aircraft on SFO-OGG. Aircraft assignments on the Hawaii routes have always been highly variable depending on season and demand. I flew the 772A SFO-OGG all the way back circa 2000.
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Old May 10, 2019, 6:42 pm
  #23  
 
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Hawaii is a massive destination for Japanese tourists. Both for the weather/beach and for the Pearl Harbor memorial.

https://flightaware.com/live/findfli...stination=PHNL

12 flights in a three hour span from Tokyo (Haneda and Narita) to HNL. DL, UA, HA, ANA, JAL, and even KE all fly the route. There are four flights a day too from Osaka to Honolulu.
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Old May 10, 2019, 7:41 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
There is not necessarily any correlation between WN commencing service to Hawaii and UA changing aircraft on SFO-OGG. Aircraft assignments on the Hawaii routes have always been highly variable depending on season and demand. I flew the 772A SFO-OGG all the way back circa 2000.
Yes, I have flown a 772 regularly from SFO to OGG back a decade or more, certainly into the early 2000s, probably earlier. You aren't the only one with experience in this area. But for the last 5 or so years it has been 753s and 738/9s. The return of what I would believe is the HD 772 sometime just after Jan 1 2020 ( we are flying the 772 in Feb/Mar 2020, 753 in October 2019) is noteworthy to the general increase of capacity to Hawaii, not only from UA and new service from WN, but also expanded capacity/service from HA as well. I don't monitor the other players in this field...can't speak for their service level changes. But given the increasing number of tourists, there has to be increasing capacity somewhere.
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Old May 10, 2019, 8:57 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by BlueZebra
...is noteworthy to the general increase of capacity to Hawaii, not only from UA and new service from WN, but also expanded capacity/service from HA as well....
What’s interesting is that I think hotel room construction is being out-paced by airline capacity increases (from both mainland and Asia). AA is starting a 2nd Dreamliner non-stop from ORD. A lot of VRBOs are popping up, but I bet the carriers are going to see loads drop (and prices).
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Old May 10, 2019, 9:27 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by UAL757222
military likely contracts with a US carrier over a foreign one if the option exists.
not necessarily...

under Fly America Act, Jetblue won the GSA contract between DC-Milan (and DC-Dubai). it's actually a codeshare operated by Emirates

(US-Japan open skies explicitly mentions this)
https://www.state.gov/e/eb/rls/othr/ata/j/ja/133510.htm
U.S. Government Procured Transportation

In response to a concern raised by the Japanese delegation, the U.S. delegation explained that, under the current and longstanding interpretation of U.S. law, carriage of U.S. Government financed air transportation (Fly America traffic) by a U.S. carrier includes transportation sold under the code of a U.S. carrier pursuant to a code-share arrangement, but carried on an aircraft operated by a foreign air carrier.

In response to a request from the Japanese delegation, the U.S. delegation indicated that it would be willing to discuss giving Japanese airlines access to additional Fly America traffic should the U.S. legal and policy limitations in this area be relaxed.
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Old May 11, 2019, 6:00 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by jhayes_1780
While I agree on the cargo reason.... Does UA have much government/military traffic HNL-NRT?
That's a very valid point. Despite the fact that literally every destination that United flies to from HNL is also a destination that United uses to fly to NRT, all the military folks on HNL trying to get to all the Japanese bases (Okinawa, Atsugi, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Iwakuni) could justify this route's existence. Government travelers have to be ticketed on U.S. carriers where available so this pretty much guarantees they get business.

But this route has always struck me as an interesting anomaly simply for they fact that neither airport is a United hub and the flight doesn't originate or terminate in Guam. How many other United flights do that?
When I fly between HNL and GUM, I prefer to SDC to route through NRT so I get more PQM and better service (two meals if I sit in economy vs zero and Polaris seat (typically) vs the dorm if I'm up front (one of the easiest GPUs to clear, BTW)). I don't mind the extra time in the air.
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Old May 11, 2019, 6:46 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
What’s interesting is that I think hotel room construction is being out-paced by airline capacity increases (from both mainland and Asia).
Guessing Airbnb type accommodations are picking up the slack.

SL
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Old May 11, 2019, 8:45 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by therossinator
But this route has always struck me as an interesting anomaly simply for they fact that neither airport is a United hub and the flight doesn't originate or terminate in Guam. How many other United flights do that?
NRT is still listed as a hub on the UA website, and even if they have pulled many of their flights, there is a lot of codeshare/interlining with ANA from NRT as well. That being said, the majority of traffic on NRT-HNL is probably local, or at least Japan-Hawaii with short connections.

(Also, I was curious and poked around on the united flight map for a minute, and it appears that there are a few seasonal flights to/from non-hubs and CUN, as well as CLE which is no longer listed as a hub, and maybe others as well)
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Old May 11, 2019, 9:47 am
  #30  
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Originally Posted by BlueZebra
....

Now that Southwest is flying to Hawaii, I see United has added capacity back...for example 772s are back on the schedule for OGG now, from SFO.
The reason 772s are on the schedule is because the MAX (737-9 in UA's case) have been grounded and UA needs to get the pax to OGG somehow.

Originally Posted by Kacee
There is not necessarily any correlation between WN commencing service to Hawaii and UA changing aircraft on SFO-OGG. Aircraft assignments on the Hawaii routes have always been highly variable depending on season and demand. I flew the 772A SFO-OGG all the way back circa 2000.
More to do with MAX grounding .... we'll see what happens if or when MAX is re certified @:-)
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