bharucfd

is it possible to fly united between syd and mel... i can not seem to find flights for september or really any dates.

thanks!

SouthPoleFlyer

[QUOTE=bharucfd;13197084]is it possible to fly united between syd and mel... i can not seem to find flights for september or really any dates.

UA839/840 connect LAX-SYD-MEL

bharucfd

hi! thanks!

yup got that.. but i just want the flight between syd and melbourne. i cant seem to book it on .bomb or any other site.

lixiaojuventus

I don't think so. It seems that SYD-MEL is a domestic flight to Australia, which is NOT open to alien carriers. Therefore, UA can only sell SYD-SFO/LAX and MEL-SFO-LAX, but not MEL-SYD.

SouthPoleFlyer

That right -- the only way to do it is as a stopover in SYD using UA to get to MEL or SYD. I did get a paid ticket to SYD and then a FF ticket SYD-MEL-SYD once even though they were not linked in the PNR.

FireEmblemPride

I'm surprised UA doesn't just have one flight to SYD (from either SFO or LAX) and one flight to MEL (again, from either SFO or LAX) instead of having that domestic connection. Then let a domestic carrier take care of the connection.

DavidJBell

Are you suggesting 2 united flights, one to MEL and one to SYD? Or ditch one of the cities? I'm guessing that United feels it's profitable to do it as it is currently.

FireEmblemPride

One to each. Just seems a bit bizarre for a U.S. carrier to be doing an Australian domestic. Was surprised when I first heard about it. But I'm sure the current system is fine for UA.

flyinbob

Every time I've done the SYD-MEL connection, the flight to MEL is never full. Most people are going only as far as SYD, plus the time the planes spend on the ground in SYD would otherwise go to waste. This way they not only offer "direct" service to MEL from both LAX and SFO, they can also carry cargo between SYD and MEL, which I'm guessing makes up for the low passenger count.

DavidJBell

I'd guess that there isn't enough demand for 2 flights, but having it go to Melbourne allows the airline to collect further revenue. Delta obviously don't believe there's enough demand to get to Melbourne.

I thought there was a move a few years ago to allow airlines doing a United thing to take on domestic passengers?

why fly

AC years ago flew to both Cities but with smaller planes, 767's now they also just have one flight on a 777 to SYD. Seems to be the trend.

SF_trotter

I tried booking a stopover in Sydney last year on a ticket to Melbourne, but
the system wouldn't let me. In the end I had to book it as an open jaw and find my own way from SYD to MEL.

why fly

so many rules just to make air travel more expensive.

Ripper3785

Since this is a big cargo route for UA, that might have something to do it.

Also, in the recent past haven't they flown to MEL non-stop? Can't remember if they just route one of the flights to MEL, or they added one. Perhaps around the time of the Australian Open?

On a MR to MEL in June, the flight we were on SYD-MEL was empty, but the return(the same day) MEL-SYD was VERY full.

I've seen it done. There was a couple on our flights in Sept LAX-SYD, where we then we stayed for 4 days. Saw them again on the way to the airport, where we took virgin blue SYD-MEL, but saw them go to the intl terminal in SYD. Then we saw them in MEL on the bus to the hotels.

myperks

logistically, it just doesn't work... how are you gonna distinguish between the domestic only (SYD-MEL) and the connecting international passengers (LAX-SYD_MEL)... unless all passengers go through immigration/customs in SYD, aircraft moved from intl to dom terminal (if necessary), reboard and v.v. from MEL-SYD.

this reminds me of the old bangkok airport with connecting flights to chiangmai, phuket, etc. International folks get a "sticker" to show they are international pre-custom passengers and are directed to customs at destination airport, while the rest of the domestic passengers just the other way.... haha... (among other things weird at the old bangkok airport.... the full golf course between the runway and the terminals..)