UA Leases 4 LHR slots to VS [2005 Thread]

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Jul 15, 2009, 10:24 am

#46

milepig

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Quote:

Originally Posted by iainarmstrong

Does anyone know if UA pax terminate at LHR or connect onwards? I could certainly understand that BD as a feeder service for UA into LHR is nowhere near as good as LH is at FRA.

I can only speak for myself, but I frequently use LHR as my European gateway. As an ORD flier, LHR is very often my least expensive TATL flight option, and I can pick up a cheap flight from there to where my destination is. I'd prefer to fly to FRA (for the great LH connections) or AMS (just 'cause I like to fly there), and really hate having to connect to BD, but when you can save several hundred dollars, such is life.

I would think that the lack of a strong *carrier at LHR would be a great opportunity to UA to develop a good European gateway there, except for the lack of connections. FRA makes much more sense because of the huge network that LH has, BD pales in comparison.

Jul 15, 2009, 10:41 am

#47

PHL

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LAX

I can't help but wonder if UA knew CO would eventually come onboard when it sold its NYC-LHR rights to DL a few years ago. Perhaps it's really just a coincidence!

I don't think CO being in *A was even envisioned at the time. Rather, UA was packing up and moving out of JFK to focus on IAD and ORD.

At one time, and I'm sure someone can provide more historical details, they had numerous prestigious routes ex-JFK, including HKG and EZE. Now, with the exception of Premium Service to LAX and SFO, there is ZERO UA presence at JFK.

Jul 15, 2009, 12:42 pm

#48

GalleyGal

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Milepig, On our manifest we have lists of how many passengers are connecting and what carrier/flight/destination they have and BD is far from the only one in London. We have HUGE amounts of passengers going on SAS to Scandanavia, LH to cities like HAM and MUC, and a suprising amount of passengers going onto places like Iran and India.

Jul 15, 2009, 3:36 pm

#49

UA-NYC

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Quote:

Originally Posted by PHL

Now, with the exception of Premium Service to LAX and SFO, there is ZERO UA presence at JFK.

Au contraire! Don't forget the 6x daily luxury chariots that are the CRJs and ER4s on the very cosmopolitan JFK-IAD route.

Jul 15, 2009, 7:28 pm

#50

rfrost

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Quote:

Originally Posted by PHL

I don't think CO being in *A was even envisioned at the time. Rather, UA was packing up and moving out of JFK to focus on IAD and ORD.

I agree. UA, which had cut service down to one plane a day, was losing money on the JFK-LHR route and would presumably have dropped the route even without any sale. What UA MIGHT have envisioned (in which case it would have been uncharacteristically clever), was Open Skies (the agreement, not the airline). Good job extracting some bucks from DL for something DL would have had for free not that much later.

Jul 15, 2009, 8:15 pm

#51

CLEHillbilly

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In addition CO had a nice presence in Gatwick (which I miss), LHR was just a dream for them back then.

Feb 14, 2010, 2:46 am

#52

Trappy

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So the five years is up later this year.........

Any idea what UA will do with these slots when they come back later this year........

Feb 14, 2010, 4:26 am

#53

lhrsfo

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Trappy

Any idea what UA will do with these slots when they come back later this year........

Who knows, but I can think of a wish list:
- DEN year round
- NYC (perhaps through EWR to tie in with CO's hub)
- increase West Coast frequency and introduce new C so that can compete with BA and VS
- as a long shot, how about a 767 to SEA or BOS?

Feb 14, 2010, 7:01 am

#54

mcgahat

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I would think whatever UA does it will include some sort of partnership or deal with CO.

Feb 14, 2010, 8:17 am

#55

jhayes_1780

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgahat

I would think whatever UA does it will include some sort of partnership or deal with CO.

+1

Although, and this is is only dreaming..... but could the slot be used for LHR-HKG? or are the unique to the USA?

Feb 14, 2010, 9:02 am

#56

whakojacko

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgahat

I would think whatever UA does it will include some sort of partnership or deal with CO.

also maybe lease 1 or 2 to US? They still are running CLT-LGW and only have 1 PHL-LHR.

Feb 14, 2010, 9:35 am

#57

1kBill

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Quote:

Originally Posted by lhrsfo

The BA/AA Alliance has been approved by the US DOT with the stipulation that they must give up 4 LHR-USA slots, including 2 LHR-BOS slots. Perhaps that might give UA some thought for consideration. Did UA ever run any international flights from BOS?

Feb 14, 2010, 9:47 am

#58

mcgahat

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jhayes_1780

+1

Although, and this is is only dreaming..... but could the slot be used for LHR-HKG? or are the unique to the USA?

I would love to see UA add an asian destination from LHR (espcially if it was a valid routing from the US) but not sure of how that works with regards to rights at HKG etc especially coming from Europe.