April/May 2010 - Volcanic Activity in Iceland and Impact to United's Operations
Apr 17, 2010, 11:24 am
#196
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: United GS+
Posts: 1,889
I had great luck with the GS line this morning. I have family traveling on an award ticket from my miles. They were originally scheduled to fly tomorrow out of Eurpoe, but obviously that isn't going to happen. I called GS and they were able to fix everything in one call. They confirmed them on later flights using both Lufthansa and United metal. One agent took care of everything without me having to ask for anything special. I was expecting a long call with lots of bad news, but was pleasantly surprised that it went so well.
^ UA!
^ UA!
Apr 17, 2010, 11:26 am
#197
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Lovely Tahoe City
Programs: UA 1mm Gold. Former 1K and GS.
Posts: 951
If this kept up, would UA have to start turning the widebodies on domestic runs just to get the pilots their required take-offs and landings?
Apr 17, 2010, 11:41 am
#198
Join Date: May 2006
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 31
Ditto on this question...I'm in the same boat (err...plane) as you. Also, is there any chance that UA would "bump" saver award travelers to accommodate the vast wave of paying flyers that will be taxing the system for weeks? I suspect not, but when I'm this close to my vacation I tend to get a bit paranoid.
Apr 17, 2010, 11:42 am
#199
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...tml?ref=europeThat is a clever idea ^
Apr 17, 2010, 11:49 am
#200
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
Not to make light of anyone's problems, but when you are this rich, you don;t have to worry about stranded planes. (In German only, but the video speaks for itself!
I have emailed with a few friends .... and they with their friends. Alternative routing from Rome and Madrid thru Africa (both Egypt and Jo-berg) and/or South America or Carib is becoming an expensive but realitistic option for many folks who can afford it or who must get home.
I have emailed with a few friends .... and they with their friends. Alternative routing from Rome and Madrid thru Africa (both Egypt and Jo-berg) and/or South America or Carib is becoming an expensive but realitistic option for many folks who can afford it or who must get home.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:06 pm
#201
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Posts: 3,780
If you manage to get to MADRID, does anyone know just how time consuming it would be to get back to London?
Apr 17, 2010, 12:12 pm
#202
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: UA 1K; SPG Plat; Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,179
Apr 17, 2010, 12:22 pm
#203
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,044
This is only speculation, but it seems like it would mainly be a problem for 744 flight crew, as 777 and 763 both have domestic versions with scheduled flights that crew could be cycled through.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:27 pm
#204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California/In the air
Programs: DL
Posts: 10,382
The question, though, is whether seats are available. Getting a seat on Eurostar might be a tough proposition right now.
Renting a car seems to be out of the question; dummy bookings for a one-way from Madrid to London were rejected by Hertz and Sixt.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:31 pm
#205
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: The World.
Programs: UA MP/UC - "RIP Tulip Plat"
Posts: 1,225
Well we do have the scheduled 747 SFO>ORD and back...
My uncle is now going to try and go through Madrid.
My uncle is now going to try and go through Madrid.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:32 pm
#206
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: london, uk
Posts: 66
Shortest train ride I could find was nearly 17 hours via TGV and Eurostar on the Deutsche Bahn website www.bahn.de
The question, though, is whether seats are available. Getting a seat on Eurostar might be a tough proposition right now.
Renting a car seems to be out of the question; dummy bookings for a one-way from Madrid to London were rejected by Hertz and Sixt.
The question, though, is whether seats are available. Getting a seat on Eurostar might be a tough proposition right now.
Renting a car seems to be out of the question; dummy bookings for a one-way from Madrid to London were rejected by Hertz and Sixt.
Sailings are not daily though. Next is Tuesday.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:37 pm
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California/In the air
Programs: DL
Posts: 10,382
If this keeps up that long, pilot currency will be the least of UA's concerns. Of all the US carriers, this may hurt UA the most, due to the revenue sharing agreement with LH, for whom transatlantic traffic is a large share of revenue.
Apr 17, 2010, 12:53 pm
#209
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California/In the air
Programs: DL
Posts: 10,382
Apr 17, 2010, 1:16 pm
#210
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ATL
Programs: UA 3.6 MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,582
Thanks US2. So for Star Alliance escapes out of (or into Europe)
it looks like LIS to EWR is available on both CO and TAP
BCN to EWR is available on CO
FCO to PHL on US, FCO to IAD on UA, FCO to EWR on CO
MAD to EWR on CO and MAD to IAD on UA.
(Maybe a few others i missed)
I see seats on many of these routes available on Sunday... so you just have to be willing to take the train wherever you want to go from there. France, Germany and Switzerland are probably best reached by Barcelona--its right over the border from France
it looks like LIS to EWR is available on both CO and TAP
BCN to EWR is available on CO
FCO to PHL on US, FCO to IAD on UA, FCO to EWR on CO
MAD to EWR on CO and MAD to IAD on UA.
(Maybe a few others i missed)
I see seats on many of these routes available on Sunday... so you just have to be willing to take the train wherever you want to go from there. France, Germany and Switzerland are probably best reached by Barcelona--its right over the border from France
Last edited by NeoOfTheCRS; Apr 17, 2010 at 1:46 pm