United Airlines is continuing to scale back service to Asia with a new round of reductions in service and capacity to Japan, South Korean, Singapore and Taiwan.
As coronavirus fears continue to diminish travel demand, United is responding with several short-term changes that dramatically scale back United’s (already diminished) service to Asia.
United Airlines Extends China Cancellations (Including Hong Kong)
United already suspended service to Mainland China and Hong Kong through March. Those route suspensions will now run through April 30th.
These include service to:
- Beijing (PEK)
- Chengdu (CTU)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- Shanghai (PVG)
United Airlines Dramatically Reduces Service To Tokyo Narita
With the virus spreading to Japan, United is scaling back service to Tokyo Narita.
This includes a suspension from three hubs:
- Chicago (ORD) – service to Tokyo (NRT) suspended March 8 – March 27
- Houston (IAH) – service to NRT suspended March 8 – April 24
- Los Angeles (LAX) – service to NRT suspended March 8 – April 24
United will also reduce service from Newark (EWR) to NRT from daily to 5x weekly between March 28 – April 24.
Finally, United is downgrading service from Honolulu (HNL) to NRT from a 777-200 to a 787-8 during the month of April.
United is launching new services to Tokyo Haneda (HND) on March 28th and thus far those flight have not been cancelled. ORD-NRT becomes ORD-HND on March 28th and will launch as planned. Furthermore, United will add service to HND from Washington (IAD), LAX, and EWR on March 28 as well.
United Reduces Service To Osaka
United only serves Osaka (KIX) from San Francisco (SFO). Between March 28 – April 24, United will reduce daily service to 5x weekly.
United Reduces Service To Singapore
United currently runs two daily nonstop flights between Singapore (SIN) and SFO on the 787-9. From March 8 – April 24 it will be reduced to once-daily service.
United Reduces Service to Seoul
Seoul will also be reduced, with a service reduction to 3x weekly between March 9 – April 30. The Seoul service is currently once daily but was set to become twice daily service starting on April 1st. That second daily route will likely not happen.
United Downguages Service to Taipei
United will not reduce or suspend service to Taipei, but will downside the aircraft in a major way from a 777-300ER to a 787-9 during the months of March and April. This represents (arguably) an upgrade for economy class passengers, but a definite downgrade for Polaris Business Class customers.
CONCLUSION
These are painful cutbacks which will hurt network connectivity and the bottom line. But with demand dramatically weakened due to surging coronavirus fears, United can hardly be blamed for scaling back service beyond China to its entire Asian network.
image: United Airlines
Reducing service means impossible to secure an upgrade to Asia during that time. Use Plus Point on other trips (Europe, Polaris domestic routes..) or risk wasting them.
Stop fear mongering and spreading hysteria. I agree with trump. You guys are the problem.
To all my republican friends, there is nothing to worry about. I encourage you to visit china, especially wuhan. And please do so without wearing a mask. Our president says everything is alright. I really, really wish more of his supporters believed it.
Come to think of it Republicans should be the last people allowed to buy any N95 masks since their king says everything is alright.