fumje

I think everything in that story is covered already in this post, from the "https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...30apr-172.html" thread:
There is also more extensive discussion of the suspension applications earlier in the thread.

Repooc17

Not according to the article. The article did not mention whether requests from Delta, Spirit, and JetBlue had been approved. In fact, with regards to Spirit:

EWR764

After the original Order came down on 4/25, Delta, JetBlue, Sprit and United yesterday submitted supplemental requests to the DOT for either reconsideration or clarification of the decision. The entire docket is available on Regulations.gov (an interesting site to poke around if you're a nerd - like me - and have some spare time these days).

To summarize:

Delta seeks reconsideration of the exemption denials at HHH, LAN, PIH, PIA, AZO, BQK, ORH, and MLB. Delta expressly cites low load factors and the short driving distance (<1h) to other airports with DL service, yet seeks to distinguish its applications from United's (which initially sought - and was similarly denied - exemptions for some of the same cities) on the basis of public health and cleanliness. It struck me as a bit ironic, and even disingenuous, to suggest there is no economic motivation for the exemptions sought.

JetBlue asked the DOT to allow it to operate fewer flights, or suspend service entirely for the entire period under the CARES Act to ATL, CLT, ORD, DFW, DEN, DTW, IAH, LAS, MSP, BNA, PHL, PHX, PDX, SAN, SEA, TPA. B6, unlike Delta, cites purely economic reasons for its request; that New York, the area of its greatest demand, has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and continuing service as set forth by the DOT is a hardship. B6, as a give, seeks to waive the 10-day service filing window to allow it to "more quickly" add flights back to the schedule in response to demand. I don't see that moving the needle very much, and the request underscores the dire situation JetBlue is in.

Spirit looks to drop CLT, DEN, MSP, PHX, PDX, and SEA, citing low market share and loads. Spirit notes that the DOT applied different criteria to the substantial grant of exemption requests of Cape Air and Sun Country (as compared to the major carriers) and asks it to apply the same methodology to these markets. If the DOT extends this paradigm to Spirit, there is no reason not to do the same for other self-described LCCs like Frontier, Southwest or JetBlue, and that muddies the water significantly... i.e., where should the DOT draw the line between small carrier vs. large carrier, LCC vs. full service, point-to-point vs. network?

United takes a slightly different approach, as it appears to accept the denial of exemptions to a number of small markets. However, it seeks review of a perhaps unintended consequence of the CARES Act service continuity program, stemming from the mandate to provide consistent levels of service to all markets for the duration of the financial assistance under the Act, 4/25-9/30/20. Carriers were asked to elect whether to use IATA summer or winter schedules as the baseline for the service analysis, and most selected summer service. As a result, summer-seasonal UA cities like ACK and SUN were assigned minimum service levels effective 4/25, despite ordinary summer service not commencing until June, and terminating just after Labor Day. United is requesting that the DOT allow it to operate its normal summer schedule, rather than imposing a service level over and above that which would have been flown absent COVID-19. That seems to be a reasonable accommodation and within the spirit of the CARES Act.

The other issue United raises is with regard to STT and SJU service. United was denied month-long exemptions to these points, instead requiring a return of service effective 4/28. Instead, it asks for a week (from the date of the Order, which is this coming Sunday) to attend to the logistical issues (scheduling, ground handling, aircraft service) associated with relaunching service. Again, an operational issue, rather than purely economical, and I don't anticipate a rejection from the DOT.

EWR764

A few schedule updates... my understanding is UA is essentially doing an "EQV" for its common fleets (except for 757/767) for the month of May. Aircraft in long-term storage (ROW, GYR, RFD and some at UAL line stations too) won't be reactivated this month, but those aircraft in shorter-term storage will go in service on multi-day rotations, and then back to short-term storage. So, I am assuming we might see 73G/738/739 on 737 flights, and 319/320 on Airbus routes.

788 is showing as aircraft code for some 787 flights, but I understand the 787-8s will remain parked, and 787-9/10 will operate the longhaul plus EWR-SFO schedule. The only 777 passenger route remains UA200/201 GUM-HNL-SFO and v.v., daily.

beachmouse

If VPS goes I could see the cut being permanent. They’re a distant fourth at that airport and didn’t seem interested in competing on price there

Aussienarelle

May 31 extension just came across on my Facebook feed.

dil345

Extension to the April 30 date? Was this on United Facebook page? Thanks!

threeoh

It's on their website:

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/covid-update.html

"To help with uncertainty around future travel, you now have until May 31 to change or cancel any travel you’ve booked through the end of the year without fees. This is in addition to existing flexibility which allows you to change or cancel travel plans through May 31."

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Automatically went to UA app to check a reservation - then I realized I booked the flight on Delta due to all the cutbacks I’ve become a Kayaker by necessity, not choice. Whoever gets me where I need to go with the least hassle gets my business currently. I even had to dig out my Delta FF# - I used to know it by heart in the 90s.

DJ_Iceman

Yeah, it says without fees but when I try to cancel my (nonrefundable) travel in June the system offers to refund me except for nearly a thousand dollars in cancellation fees.

jsloan

Change fees are waived, but cancellation fees are not.

If you have a refundable ticket, and you change to another, less expensive, itinerary, the change fee will be waived and the balance will be refunded. But if you try to get a straight refund, the cancellation fee will not be waived. If you want to keep future flight credit instead, you should be able to do that, but you may have to call.

dorisrpas

If this is discussed elsewhere, please move/let me know. TIA

Okay, with all the schedule reductions DSM has been hard hit - currently with only a few DSM-ORD and DSM-DEN flights per week (not even daily) and DSM-IAH is totally gone. I'm in healthcare and still flying 3-4/month, and as a 1K by domestic segments my last flights have been on DL and AA because I just can't get anywhere on UA.

As seen by the TSA passengers-screened-today numbers, slowly more passengers are being screened. With stay-at-home orders being relaxed, I'm guessing folks will start traveling again, likely for important family/business reasons. So my question - in response to increasing passenger load, how long will it take UA/airlines to ramp their schedules back up, to at least provide even just once/twice daily service to/from cities like DSM?

jsloan

UA has stated that they intend to be aggressive about restoring capacity as soon as they see enough demand to justify it. However, they've also cut their May schedule by 90% vs. what they were originally planning to operate, and have suggested that they expect similar, or deeper cuts in June and possibly July.

While the passenger counts are rising, they're still nowhere near enough to make even these reduced schedules profitable. I believe that UA is scheduled to release its earnings after-hours today, at which point they will presumably schedule an investor conference call in the next few days. You may be able to get an idea what the reopening plan is from that.

Realistically, though, I don't expect things to change much for at least six weeks, if not longer; even if UA sees promising trends, it will take some time to get flights scheduled and crewed. (Crews normally bid on their schedule for a given month at some point during the previous month, IIRC -- so, May's crew schedule has already been filled, and June's will be bid sometime during May).

z28lt1

So, the email received from United yesterday said the May 31st extension gave us 12 months to rebook. The website stil shows 24 months. I assume the email is just a mistake, but wanted to point out the differences.

From the email:

Every customer now has until May 31 to make changes to current reservations or book new flights that can be changed or canceled without a fee, and you'll be able to reschedule your trip for anytime in the next 12 months.

dorisrpas

Thanks so much for the reply. I did wonder about the logistics and timing of how long it would take to get things rolling again (crew, etc.) once the the passenger trend gets there. I did do a status challenge with AA (why let their F seats go out empty! LOL) so will shift there for the next few months as long as they remain the main carrier out of DSM. Then I'll see.