The Boeing 787 is revolutionary in that it has made otherwise financially nonviable routes viable. United announced two new routes today, to be operated on its 787-8 and 797-9 aircraft from San Francisco — Tel Aviv and Auckland.
San Francicso to Tel Aviv Non-Stop on United Airlines
Sensing an opportunity in American’s recent announcement that it would cuts its service to Tel Aviv from Philadelphia and no Bay Area competition for service between two high-tech cities, the new Tel Aviv service will begin with three flights per week on March 30, 2016:
|
Flight |
From |
To |
Departure |
Arrival |
|
UA954 |
SFO |
TLV |
8 p.m. We/Fr/Su |
8:10 p.m. the next day |
|
UA955 |
TLV |
SFO |
12:55 a.m. Tu/Fr/Su |
6 a.m. the same day |
United credits the SFOTLV.ORG petition (petitioning for non-stop service between SFO and TLV) as another reason for beginning the new service.
The flight time will be 14 hours, 10 minutes flying eastbound and 15 hours, 5 minutes flying westbound.
Flights will be bookable starting on October 10, 2015.
San Francisco to Auckland Non-Stop on United Airlines
United served Auckland prior to its merger with Continental, but cut the service in light of dwindling profit margins and cooperation with Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand. Post-merger, there were plans to start non-stop service between Houston and Auckland, but that plan was scrapped in retaliation for the Houston City Council allowing an international expansion out of Houston’s Hobby Airport (United has a fortress hub at Bush Intercontinental across town).
The new service will finally add some competition to Air New Zealand’s monopoly route (Qantas no longer serves Auckland) and for those seeking business class award space, at least it will finally be available, even if at the standard level. Currently, Air New Zealand releases no business class award space on its transpacific route.
Auckland service will begin on July 1, 2016, with three flights per week on a 787-8. On October 28, 2016, daily service will begin on the 787-9 (much better for upgrades!):
|
Flight |
From |
To |
Departure |
Arrival |
|
UA917 |
SFO |
AKL |
10:45 p.m. |
6:55 a.m. two days later |
|
UA916 |
AKL |
SFO |
1:20 p.m. |
6:40 a.m. the same day |
Flight times will be 13 hours, 10 minutes traveling westbound and 12 hours, 20 minutes traveling eastbound.
Flights will be bookable starting on October 17, 2015.
San Francisco to Xi’an Non-Stop on United Airlines
United also announced service to Xi’an, China last week, a city in which I always think of the Terracotta warriors and the old walled city, but is also an industrial powerhouse.
That service will operate three times per week between May 8 and October 27, 2016:
The proposed flights, subject to government approval, will depart San Francisco International Airport at 1:25 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and arrive in Xi’an at 5:30 p.m. the following days (all times local). The return flights will depart Xi’an’s Xianyang International Airport at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive at San Francisco International Airport at 7:35 a.m. the same days. Flying times will be approximately 13 hours, 5 minutes westbound and 12 hours, 5 minutes eastbound.
CONCLUSION
Great news from United today, especially for West Coast travelers. These are three attractive new options and I cannot wait to fly on all three new services. When space is loaded — starting on Saturday for Xi’an and Tel Aviv — it is unlikely there will be any premium cabin saver award space, but there may be a lot of saver economy award space so do keep an eye out. And who knows? Maybe there will be space, as there was when United commenced non-stop service to Melbourne from Los Angeles.
United is serving three under-served destinations, avoiding stiff competition which would likely lead to a short-lived service (see Istanbul, for example), and providing three new reasons to fly United. We should all be happy for that.
It’s somewhat surprising that UA is doing so many non-daily flights. Business travelers prefer the flexibility of daily service, and historically UA has offered daily service on its international routes. Is this permanently different or just temporary until they get more aircraft and go daily?