PsiFighter37

I think it depends on 'just another mainland city' looks like. If it can manage to coexist with Shanghai as a financial center, then it could be viable....PVG supported SFO 2x (I think), LAX, ORD, and EWR pre-pandemic. That's more than UA was flying to HKG. But if it just becomes the ugly stepsister to Shenzhen, then there's a comedown. But Hong Kong's unique geography could theoretically still make it attractive as a tourist destination further down the road.

kevflyer

All thanks to Apple

IAH-OIL-TRASH

50 seats average / day SFO-PVG. Wow. They could reconfigure a plane with a separate iClass for Apple.

WineCountryUA

Before we go further off topic, the thread topic is HKG as a UA "hub".
The banner from Jan 2018 has its' own thread .The original thread was UA biggest corporate accounts out of SFO (leaked data) for those desiring more.

But for here, let's stick to the future of HKG for UA.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

FlyerBeek

This CX IAD flight actually lasted about 18 months (from September 2018 thru spring 2020). I flew it several times - its timing was absolutely perfect allowing for a full weekend in Hong Kong and still getting back to IAD around 9pm Sunday evening. IAD only recently removed all the Cathay Pacific signage from the check-in area earlier this year. Sadly, I highly doubt this route will ever come back.

-FlyerBeek

jhayes_1780

I seem to remember that inaugural featured David Hasselhoff as a celebrity passenger. I thought it was only Germans who loved Hasselhoff (RIP Norm MacDonald)

UA_Flyer

The origianlly planned May 28 restart of SFO-HKG flight has now passed.

Any news on the whether UA may look into a new date to restart the route? I personally doubt anyhting will happen in 2022 but just want to check if anyone has heard anything.

WineCountryUA

Presently the start date is 6 Sept 2022 but .........

eng3

Pre-COVID, I flew to and thru HKG quite often. It was a relatively easy GPU upgrade. Prices were pretty good. I also had multiple options from the east coast going from EWR, ORD, or SFO. I preferred having an upgraded seat all the way there vs connecting in NRT and sitting in Y for several hours. Now SIN is pretty much the only option but its pretty much an impossible upgrade. I suppose flying to TPE is another option but either way, I am forced to take a TCON to get to SFO and that upgrade is even more impossible. At that point, I might be better off just going via NRT (EWR-SFO UA E+ vs Asian carrier)

JNelson113

Probably. There is some hope that HKG will restart if the quarantine period would be lessened, and there is talk of this, but I don't suspect that it will happen earlier than later this fall.

lsquare

It was reported today that HK is looking to potentially ending quarantine requirements in November and replace them with daily PCR testing. It's still a huge hassle and I don't know show going to foot the bill. This isn't going to help tourism, but it'll help people who reside and work in HK.

bmwe92fan

The reality is that HK used to be a place of Commerce and Character -- now they are both totally and completely gone.... Any international company with operations there has already relocated -- or simply shut down. Tourism is non existent and will be for a long time.... Unlike mainland China (where companies have factories / operations) there really isn't any reason for a foreigner to go there any more -- and making it easier for locals to come and go won't really help the economy..... HK as we know it is gone -- it's truly a shame....

lhrsfo

I agree with the sentiment expressed here but international companies haven't yet gone. For one thing, it's not easy relocating operations during a pandemic and, for another, nobody wants to insult China by pulling out of HK and relocating elsewhere outside China. So it's being done quietly. Leavers aren't being replaced (they can't be anyway as nobody in their right mind would want to move there) and operations are slowly being built up in Singapore or wherever. But it's not easy. The Singaporeans are very tight with visas for foreigners currently, Japan isn't really an option and the cost of living in Australia is too high to attract ex-pats in large numbers.
So, in short, yes HK is finished but it would still be a fun place to go right now if it weren't effectively closed.

JimInOhio

Absolutely agree and may be a big reason for relocating a number of flights to HND. By and large, they’ve abandoned NRT on routes that NH flies anyway. For the same reason, I doubt UA would consider HKG to be an intentional connection point ever again.

JNelson113

Not to get off topic, but how has HK changed in the last 2.5 years? I visited in fall 2019 and it was still fun, even with the protests. I have no idea what HK would be like now after the covid shutdowns.