Jun 27, 2019, 12:55 pm
UA Adds Second Daily Nonstop Service between SFO-HKG (back to daily till 28 Mar 2020)
Jun 27, 2019, 9:06 pm
#46
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
My guess is it will be primarily O/D on the new flights and connecting pax on the existing flights.
Jun 27, 2019, 9:15 pm
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
The new flights are timed better for connections in 3 out of 4 cases, the only exception being the nighttime SFO arrival from HKG. The existing HKG departure is virtually impossible for most connections.
Jun 27, 2019, 9:57 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
As I mentioned above the early am into HKG means you’ll be able to connect onto 8am-10am CX flights and reach Thailand, Malaysia and SE China before lunchtime. On the evening arrival you’ll be lucky to get connections and they’ll be 11pm to midnight arrivals at those destinations.
And for the return, the night flight allows for mid-late afternoon feeder departures connecting at HKG instead of having to head out to the airport at stupid o’clock for a 6am flight to HKG.
Even the evening arrival into SFO works for west coast connections. For example, I could have a leisurely brunch in Bangkok, leave BKK at 4pm, connect to the night flight and be home at PDX by 10pm “same day”, on protected connections.
Jun 27, 2019, 10:03 pm
#49
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 747
However, I have absolutely zero interest in the new westbound flight, personally. Despite a Polaris seat, I just can't hit the ground running like that. It's generally too early to get into a hotel and HKG is not one of those cities I want to wander around in when wearing the same clothes I'd been wearing for the previous 24 hours or so.
But even so...Yay! First new flight to HKG in a while.
But even so...Yay! First new flight to HKG in a while.
Jun 27, 2019, 11:03 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
Jun 27, 2019, 11:09 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta DM CO PE OZ GE AMTRAK
Posts: 524
by the end of year, probably 70% to 80% of all 772 will have been converted, so you will really have to be unlucky to catch one of the unconverted ones.
Jun 27, 2019, 11:09 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ORD, HKG
Programs: UA*G, AA Emerald, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 10,276
UA actually done this before back around 2007, 2008, back then the 2nd flight was using one 772 flying 3 times a week after the cancellation of the 2nd ORD-HKG, the 2nd SFO-HKG cancelled even faster than the 2nd ORD-HKG, then they move the 772 to start IAD-DXB, so i am skeptical it will work this time. Back then there was only 1x CX and 1x SQ at night, now there are 2x CX and 1x SQ at night, high yield pax would not dump CX and SQ and fly UA since both sell F whereas UA has no F anymore.
Jun 27, 2019, 11:11 pm
#53
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta DM CO PE OZ GE AMTRAK
Posts: 524
Jun 27, 2019, 11:16 pm
#54
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
Jun 28, 2019, 2:41 am
#55
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 11
Great news for getting to Asia
I’m wondering if this might help pull some of the load on the SFO-SIN flights (ie better chance of PZ inventory going forward)? Thoughts?
Jun 28, 2019, 4:14 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
Jun 28, 2019, 8:56 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
HKG and SIN are over 1500 miles apart. UA doesn't sell a ton of connections through SIN -- for the most part, SQ isn't interested in helping UA sell seats on SFO-SIN. If there are some passengers currently overflying BKK / SGN / HAN / etc. due to the late-night schedule being available on the UA flight to SIN, then maybe -- but I'm skeptical.
I suspect UA believes that there's enough additional premium demand in the market to justify the second flight on its own.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:39 am
#58
Join Date: May 2017
Location: YEG, SFO, VCA, JR JY-13
Programs: hahaha
Posts: 921
I don't know much about airline economics, but hopefully someone more insightful could help plant a seed in my head.
Would this new route open up the possibility for UA to do intra-Asia fifth freedoms again? Not sure why they pulled out of doing SIN and SGN but I'm guessing it just didn't make sense economically. It's a shame, I've always wanted to access SGN easier from North America! With the new schedule it doesn't look like a crazy idea from a timeslot perspective.
Would this new route open up the possibility for UA to do intra-Asia fifth freedoms again? Not sure why they pulled out of doing SIN and SGN but I'm guessing it just didn't make sense economically. It's a shame, I've always wanted to access SGN easier from North America! With the new schedule it doesn't look like a crazy idea from a timeslot perspective.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:48 am
#59
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
If UA thought that was likely, they wouldn't be launching the flight.
HKG and SIN are over 1500 miles apart. UA doesn't sell a ton of connections through SIN -- for the most part, SQ isn't interested in helping UA sell seats on SFO-SIN. If there are some passengers currently overflying BKK / SGN / HAN / etc. due to the late-night schedule being available on the UA flight to SIN, then maybe -- but I'm skeptical.
I suspect UA believes that there's enough additional premium demand in the market to justify the second flight on its own.
HKG and SIN are over 1500 miles apart. UA doesn't sell a ton of connections through SIN -- for the most part, SQ isn't interested in helping UA sell seats on SFO-SIN. If there are some passengers currently overflying BKK / SGN / HAN / etc. due to the late-night schedule being available on the UA flight to SIN, then maybe -- but I'm skeptical.
I suspect UA believes that there's enough additional premium demand in the market to justify the second flight on its own.
In fact, I even flew UA1 then connected to (a separately purchased) SIN-DEL ticket once because it was the only thing that would get me in time for a meeting I found out about hours before booking my flight(s).
Jun 28, 2019, 10:55 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,023
Interestingly, yesterday I was looking at (UA) business airfares for specific dates in August to HK for a friend who lives in SF. I told him to expect UA to screw him a bit. Sure enough (all same dates) - SEA-HKG (via SFO) $3100. Out of SFO on the same non-stop the SEA itinerary would have connected to, $5900. The cheapest fare to HKG out of SFO was via SIN - $4500.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Jun 28, 2019 at 12:16 pm Reason: added "(UA)"