Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

SFO-TPE Down gauged to Non-Polaris Dreamliner (789) -- March-April 2020

SFO-TPE Down gauged to Non-Polaris Dreamliner (789) -- March-April 2020

Old Feb 10, 2020, 9:40 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
SFO-TPE Down gauged to Non-Polaris Dreamliner (789) -- March-April 2020

Heading to TPE on March 4th and just noticed 77W down-guaged to non-polarized Dreamliner. Wonder how long this will last. Looks like UA is doing all they can to slash costs by operating the most fuel efficient frames possible on their remaining Asia routes. Lot of 77Ws siting idle...
spartacusmcfly is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 9:49 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,498
SFO-TPE on 77W resumes 27MAR20, so it's only a couple weeks of downgauge.

Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Lot of 77Ws siting idle...
Not necessarily. Prior to the nCov, UA 77W Asia routes were SFO-TPE/NRT and EWR-NRT/PVG. Only route that's actually suspended is EWR-PVG (and SFO-TPE briefly).
hirohito888 is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 10:01 am
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
Originally Posted by hirohito888
SFO-TPE on 77W resumes 27MAR20, so it's only a couple weeks of downgauge.



Not necessarily. Prior to the nCov, UA 77W Asia routes were SFO-TPE/NRT and EWR-NRT/PVG. Only route that's actually suspended is EWR-PVG (and SFO-TPE briefly).
SFO-HKG 2x/day should also be 77W. That was down-guaged because of protests, but was going back. That's another 4-5 77Ws sitting around somewhere...
spartacusmcfly is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 10:54 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,498
Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
SFO-HKG 2x/day should also be 77W. That was down-guaged because of protests, but was going back. That's another 4-5 77Ws sitting around somewhere...
There's probably a lot of slack with the 21 77W, but I don't think there are 4-5 77W just sitting around.

I'm not an expert on fleet deployment but UA is currently flying 77W on:
EWR-GRU 2x frames, EWR-BOM 2x frames, EWR-TLV (2x daily) 2-3x frames, SFO/EWR-FRA 3x frames, SFO/EWR-NRT 3-4x frames
SFO-SYD 2x frames
Add 1x frame for some EWR-SFO domestic flying
2x frames in maintenance, and 1x frame in induction

That's around 20x frames. Again, probably not as optimized and leading to a lot of ground time. The slack can definitely be used on some more domestic flying such as more SFO-EWR or EWR-SJU.
hirohito888 is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 11:08 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,342
Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
SFO-HKG 2x/day should also be 77W. That was down-guaged because of protests, but was going back. That's another 4-5 77Ws sitting around somewhere...
SFO-HKG was actually planned to be downgauged when they introduced the second frequency, not because of protests; two 77Ws a day would have been too much lift. The protests just happened to pick up in intensity around the same time the second frequency started running and the corresponding equipment swap happened.
dkc192 is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 11:13 am
  #6  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Originally Posted by dkc192
SFO-HKG was actually planned to be downgauged when they introduced the second frequency, not because of protests; two 77Ws a day would have been too much lift. The protests just happened to pick up in intensity around the same time the second frequency started running and the corresponding equipment swap happened.
Correct.

It was first 77W after 744 retirement. Then downgauged to 772 for the second frequency. So SFO-HKG, by design, should not use 77W.
garykung is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 11:28 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,424
Originally Posted by hirohito888
The slack can definitely be used on some more domestic flying such as more SFO-EWR or EWR-SJU.
EWR-SJU has been seeing swap to 772/77W half the time since the PVG/PEK/HKG cancellations went into effect.
EWR764 is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 1:44 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: TPE<->SFO
Posts: 98
Only for a little over a month. Ticket sales must have taken a huge hit, I've flown that route a ton of times and it's always been overbooked. Never seen an empty seat on the plane... over the past 4 years that route has gone from 777 -> 787 -> 747 and back to the 777.
Eclipsed830 is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 2:24 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 529
Flying on Feb 20th, still says 77W on mine with Polaris config, hope it sticks to that!!
Rumples is offline  
Old Feb 10, 2020, 5:00 pm
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,277
Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Heading to TPE on March 4th and just noticed 77W down-guaged to non-polarized Dreamliner. Wonder how long this will last. Looks like UA is doing all they can to slash costs by operating the most fuel efficient frames possible on their remaining Asia routes. Lot of 77Ws siting idle...
The demand is not there for many of the Asian destinations. It is not UA is doing this to splash cost on purpose. Too much capacity with the Coronavirus situation.

Fleet management need to be flexible to meet the changes in capacity and operating specifics. Most of business do that based on market situations as good practices.

I do see more wide bodies being deployed between SFO and IAD, IAH and SFO and also PS routes.
UA_Flyer is offline  
Old Feb 15, 2020, 12:42 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,530
Temporary down gauge SFO-TPE to 787-9 effective 1 March 2020

Temporary down gauge SFO-TPE from 777-300ER to 787-9 from 1 March 2020 to 22 April 2020


I was able to cancel my itinerary and receive a full refund because I purchased a Premium Plus seat and avoided a $300 cancellation fee.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 15, 2020 at 6:32 pm
1KChinito is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2020, 3:19 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
I'm on the TPE-SFO flight on March 1 and it's still showing as a 777-300ER. If UA is starting the 787 on March 1, then the 773 should stay. Not the end of the world, but I hope it holds.
1kBill is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2020, 9:10 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,530
Originally Posted by 1kBill
I'm on the TPE-SFO flight on March 1 and it's still showing as a 777-300ER. If UA is starting the 787 on March 1, then the 773 should stay. Not the end of the world, but I hope it holds.
Effective date for TPE-SFO is 3 March to 24 April 2020.
1KChinito is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.