United Airlines operated the first-ever user preferred route (UPR) over Russia, a breakthrough in diplomatic relations and an important step in reducing fuel burn on transpacific flights.
For years, the United Airlines and Russia have been working toward an agreement that would allow its flight to deviate from preset flight paths over Russian airspace. These adjustments would be “as needed” based upon flying conditions. UPR flights are also known as ad-hoc routes or free flight. The goal: use the most economical flight path available.
UA2865, a cargo flight from Chicago (ORD) to Hong Kong Kong (HKG), was the first flight to be granted the right to fly a UPR over Russian airspace. The flight occurred on June 3, 2020. Specifically, the UPR occurred over the East Siberian Sea
As United described it:
“By making just a minor change in our routing over the water, we saved ourselves 30 nautical miles flown, which cut five minutes from the original flight time and reduced our fuel burn by 1,760 pounds. That equated to a 5,440-pound reduction in carbon emissions.”
United hopes to utilize UPRs on more Asian flights from Chicago, Newark (EWR), and Washington (IAD). It also hopes to do the same on its San Francisco (SFO) to Delhi (DEL) route, which United plans to resume next month.
To put the matter into perspective, if United is able to operate UPR flights regularly over Russian airspace, it expects to save:
- $665,000 in direct fuel costs
- 24,600,000 pounds of fuel
- 7,000 minutes of flight time
- 76,160,000 pounds of carbon emissions
All of this over the course of one year.
The UPR breakthrough marks the culmination of decades of work by . You can view an interesting presentation Cameron delivered in 2010 here. A more recent one filed with the FAA is here.
CONCLUSION
United hopes that it will be able to save fuel costs and bolster its Eco-Skies sustainability commitment by conducting more UPRs on future polar flights. Politics is at play, but the recent breakthrough on UA2865 is a positive development. Let’s hope we can avoid another KE007 situation…
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Sounds good as long as Russian jet fighters don’t get “trigger-happy”.
Sarcastic…kind of.
Indeed, which is why I could not help but to mention KE007.
KE007 had its transponders off, deviated into forbidden airspace and did not respond to the Russian fighters. It basically asked for it
As long as you don’t deviate 300 miles from your route
Which is what worries me about flying QR,
Russia’s payment for this – revenue sharing on the new Trump Tower Moscow breaking ground in 2021 (post-presidency)
This is good news, but why do countries still need to have all these silly hyper masculine weenie swinging contests over every little thing.
@UA-NYC
Such tiresome Trump Derangement Syndrome, even in the face of something good. Do you actually think the Senator from MBNA is unsullied? Or that the Clinton Foundation isn’t taking millions from shady entities? Politicians are kakistocrats. Quit thinking that your side are saints.
Weren’t you the one who called out a post for “not aging well” when the stock market went up a week ago? Do you recognize your own post hasn’t aged well since yesterday? LOL troll.
I have no idea what you are talking about. Your TDS is destroying your reading comprehension skills. I was not even saying something in defense of Trump. I merely pointed out that your “side” is just as sullied as the other side. The only solution to the problem is to defund the government, not just the police. Politicians as a whole are kakistocrats. Statists such as yourself think giving more money and power to the leviathan will somehow improve it.
TDS indeed , well said. We need to be close allies to Russia and India to defeat China aggression. This is just a step in the right direction. Kudos United!!