May 7, 2022, 3:00 pm

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Active thread; UA-Schedule changes; +25% TATL 2022 capacity, Q2 TPAC down 65% vs 2019; June changes

UA publishes a schedule for 330 days in advance (called Beginning of Schedule) and in the past would make tweaks quarterly and things would be fairly settles 3-4 months out. Updates would occur Friday evening / Saturday morning (Chicago time). Routine additions could occur anytime.
20 Oct 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by EWR764

In the earnings call today, UA noted that has been transitioning back to its 'normal' (pre-pandemic) 90-day schedule load process, which should be complete in the very near future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UA Insider

The only thing constant is change and at United Airlines, some of the fees associated with changes related to flying are gone for good. The carrier announced today that it is permanently getting rid of change fees on all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S., effective immediately. And starting on January 1, 2021, any United customer can fly standby for free, regardless of fare type, on a flight departing the day of their travel, a first among U.S. carriers, while MileagePlus® Premier® members can confirm a seat on a different flight on the same day with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket if a seat in the same ticket fare class is available.

United is also extending its waiver for new tickets issued through December 31, 2020, to permit unlimited changes with no fee. This policy applies to all ticket types issued after March 3, 2020 and is valid for domestic and international travel.

The new change fee policy applies to all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S. 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and customers will not be limited in the number of times they adjust their flights.

Additionally, United is giving customers more flexibility to change their flights on the day of their travel so they can head home if a meeting ends earlier or enjoy a few more hours on vacation. With the ability to list for same-day standby for free, customers will now have an option to take a different flight with the same origin and destination airports as their original itinerary if space is available at departure. This enhanced option will be available to all customers for travel within the U.S. and to and from international destinations beginning on January 1, 2021. Customers who want to switch flights will be able to add themselves to the standby list through United’s award-winning mobile app, on united.com or at the airport no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and one hour before departure on international flights.

The carrier is also improving the travel experience for its MileagePlus members including waiving all redeposit fees on award travel for flights changed or cancelled more than 30 days before departure and allowing all MileagePlus Premier members to confirm a different flight on the day of their travel. As a way to thank MileagePlus Premier members for their loyalty, beginning January 1, 2021, all Premier members will be able to confirm a seat for free on a different flight with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket. This expanded option will allow MileagePlus Silver members and above to confirm a new seat in the same ticket fare class if space is available. Earlier this year, United announced that it will extend status for MileagePlus Premier and United Global Services® members through January 2022. United also reduced thresholds for Premier qualification by 50 percent for each status level, to make reaching an even higher status tier easier.

For more information on United’s new flexible travel policies, visit https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/change-fee.html.

Quote:

Change is here. Change fees are gone.We’re permanently getting rid of change fees for most Economy and premium cabin tickets for travel within the United States. This includes Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more

For all other destinations, change fees are waived through December 31, 2020. See terms and conditions

Quote:

We’re extending electronic certificatesTo give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.

This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.

Quote:

Award flight redeposit fees waived

We’re waiving redeposit fees for award flights issued on or before December 31, 2020, that are canceled at least 30 days before the departure date. You can also change your award flight with no fee. Learn more about changing or canceling your award flight.

International travel advisories and waivers

For more information about international travel:

View our current travel waivers
See our country-specific travel updates
Search by destination for passport, visa and health requirements provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Visit the U.S. Department of State’s website for detailed information on coronavirus by country[/quote]

CARES service exemptions for United
United Exemption 042520 FINAL ISSUED.pdf
United Airlines 2nd Exemption_051220_FINAL ISSUED.pdf
latest (tentative) -2020-5-5 Order to Show Cause

Other Resources and Statistics

COVID19 UA-Schedule {Archive}

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Mar 20, 2020, 8:14 pm

#1936

WineCountryUA

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: 66,857

Quote:

United Airlines Continues Draw Down of International Schedule
CHICAGO, March 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- United continues to aggressively manage the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on our employees, our customers and our business. Due to government mandates or restrictions in place prohibiting travel, the airline is reducing its international schedule by 95% for April. The revised international schedule will be viewable on united.com on Sunday, March 22:

Atlantic

United is drawing down its remaining trans-Atlantic operation. The final westbound departures will take place on March 25, with the exception of its Cape Town-New York/Newark service which will operate as previously scheduled with the last flight departing Cape Town on March 28.

Pacific

United will reduce its remaining trans-Pacific operation starting March 22, with final eastbound departures on March 25, with the exception of service between San Francisco and Tahiti and San Francisco and Sydney which will have final returns to San Francisco on March 28.
United will maintain some Guam flights as well as a portion of its Island Hopper service.

Latin America

United will reduce its Mexico operation over the next five days. After March 24, it will only maintain a small number of daytime flights to certain destinations in Mexico.
United will draw down its remaining Central and South America operations. The last southbound departures will take place March 24.

Canada

United will temporarily suspend all flying to Canada effective April 1.

In destinations where government actions have barred us from flying, we are actively looking for ways to bring customers who have been impacted by travel restrictions back to the United States. This includes working with the U.S. State Department and the local governments to gain permission to operate service.

Mar 20, 2020, 8:34 pm

#1937

ual744777sta

Join Date: Mar 2002

Location: DAL

Posts: 3,400

This is just utterly saddening. I hope this ends soon and the front line employees will not be forgotten.

Mar 20, 2020, 8:39 pm

#1938

dcsnowwake

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: ANP

Programs: UA 1k, Marriott Plat, HH gold, Avis/Hertz Pres

Posts: 1,408

I am speechless. I hope all UA employees pull out of this ok on the other side. Much love

Mar 20, 2020, 9:46 pm

#1939

FriendlySkies

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2009

Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native

Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium

Posts: 21,606

Never thought I'd see the day where UA was not operating any international flights (not counting the Island Hopper..). So depressing and best wishes to all in the industry who have taken care of us over the years, whether on board, at the airport or behind the scenes on the phones, etc.

Mar 20, 2020, 11:49 pm

#1940

nexusCFX

Join Date: Dec 2017

Location: SFO/YYZ

Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,470

Evacuating Tokyo tomorrow, HND-SFO. I can't say I care much for UA as an airline or company, but I feel for their workers and I hope they can make it through.

Mar 20, 2020, 11:51 pm

#1941

Melodsal

Join Date: Apr 2015

Location: Seattle, WA

Programs: UA 1K, Delta PM, AA EXP, Marriott AMB, IHG Gold

Posts: 448

The international drawdown hits me like a gut punch and I feel extremely sad for United (and the staff). They’re not my favorite carrier to fly but they were the airline that introduced me to regular international flying. Sad day for all of us.

Mar 21, 2020, 1:25 am

#1942

william818

Join Date: May 2006

Posts: 17

If the "last trans-pacific eastbound flight" is 3/25. Does that mean the last trans-pacific westbound is 3/24 (or 3/23 given date differences across international date line)?

Mar 21, 2020, 1:37 am

#1943

EWR764

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: New York, NY

Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott

Posts: 9,452

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melodsal

The situation is absolutely devastating. A very well-placed United contact is calling it “unfathomably bad.”

Lately the term “existential threat” gets thrown around pretty freely in the public discourse. This is a real-world example.

Things will never be the same.

Mar 21, 2020, 3:24 am

#1944

Weatherboy

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: New York / Hawaii

Programs: UA Global Services, HH Diamond

Posts: 5,178

Quote:

Originally Posted by william818

If the "last trans-pacific eastbound flight" is 3/25. Does that mean the last trans-pacific westbound is 3/24 (or 3/23 given date differences across international date line)?

I believe its the 26th, with oversess metal returning to the US.

Mar 21, 2020, 3:48 am

#1945

goodeats21

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: DAY

Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry

Posts: 10,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

UA has access to a 2 billion dollar line of credit from Chase. I do not.

If they had not:

Introduced language to ignore residual value on all nonrefundable fares as of March 2
Come up with several contradictory schedule change policies, each worse than the last
Started refusing to give refunds even in the most obvious situations, even when required by law and/or their own Contract of Carriage

then I might actually have bought some travel for later in the year, giving them liquidity. After all, I have quite a few PlusPoints available.

As it stands, I think I'll wait and see what promotions they might offer later in the year. Perhaps by then they will have rolled back their most ridiculous policies.

Same for me. I had been looking to book some travel for much later in the year, but holding off now. Will likely need to use up credits from cancelled April flights anyway...
I will just keep my cash for now.

Mar 21, 2020, 4:11 am

#1946

nexusCFX

Join Date: Dec 2017

Location: SFO/YYZ

Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 2,470

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weatherboy

I believe its the 26th, with oversess metal returning to the US.

An eastbound TPAC on the 25th would have flown west on the 24th. If the last eastbound is the 25th then there’s nothing on the 26th, unless they mean 25th in a US time zone which wouldn’t really make sense.

Mar 21, 2020, 5:02 am

#1947

dinoscool3

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: PIT

Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold

Posts: 9,924

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Edward

One other thing to add - even though we've all had our ups and downs with UA, if you can personally sit on a voucher, you may want to consider doing so. These cuts are deep and while I would guess you are owed a refund if you don't immediately need it, UA is going to be thirsty for cash.

I get the sentiment, I really do. But UA told me they don’t care about me, why should I care about them? When my April flight is canceled, I will demand the cash.

Mar 21, 2020, 5:10 am

#1948

fumje

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2015

Posts: 11,464

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusCFX

For TPAC I think they consider the eastbound to happen before the westbound, since eastbound originates in US. It is flipped for TATL.

So the final bank of TPAC departures from US would be on the 25th (US time), while the final TPAC returns to US would be on the 26th or 27th (local time), depending upon time zone.

[misreading]

Last edited by fumje; Mar 21, 2020 at 5:32 am

Mar 21, 2020, 5:18 am

#1949

nexusCFX

Join Date: Dec 2017

Location: SFO/YYZ

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Posts: 2,470

Quote:

Originally Posted by fumje

For TPAC I think they consider the eastbound to happen before the westbound, since eastbound originates in US. It is flipped for TATL.

So the final bank of TPAC departures from US would be on the 25th (US time), while the final TPAC returns to US would be on the 26th or 27th (local time), depending upon time zone.

If you're flying east over the pacific you're originating in Asia. I don't know where the confusion is coming from regarding this. United's statement:

Quote:

We will reduce our remaining trans-Pacific operation starting March 22, with final eastbound departures on March 25, with the exception of service between San Francisco and Tahiti and San Francisco and Sydney which will have final returns to San Francisco on March 28.

All of these are described as the final flights TO the United States, which makes sense because people want to make sure they can get back to the US from where they are. Therefore there is no March 25 flight from the US across the pacific, because if there was it would land on March 26 and therefore there would be a return to the US on the 26th.

Last edited by nexusCFX; Mar 21, 2020 at 5:25 am

Mar 21, 2020, 5:32 am

#1950

fumje

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2015

Posts: 11,464

Quote:

Originally Posted by nexusCFX

If you're flying east over the pacific you're originating in Asia. I don't know where the confusion is coming from regarding this. United's statement:

All of these are described as the final flights TO the United States, which makes sense because people want to make sure they can get back to the US from where they are. Therefore there is no March 25 flight from the US across the pacific, because if there was it would land on March 26 and therefore there would be a return to the US on the 26th.

Thanks, I believe you are correct. Apologies for my reading comprehension issue!