United Airlines will double service between Shanghai and San Francisco starting next month.
United Will Double Shanghai Service
Currently, United operates two flights per week between San Francisco and Shanghai due to limitations imposed by the Chinese government. Demand far outstrips supply, with flights filled up weeks in advance and commanding high fares.
Under China’s punishment/reward system for international flights, airlines are allowed to double service if no passenger on a route tests positive for COVID-19 for three weeks.
Today, United announced it would double flights effective September 4, 2020. United will used its Boeing 777-300ER on the route, its largest aircraft. Flights departing San Francisco will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays while flights from Shanghai will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow.
- UA857 – Depart San Francisco (SFO) 11:00AM – Arrive Shanghai (PVG) 5:45PM+1
- UA858 – Depart Shanghai (PVG) 9:45PM – Arrive San Francisco (SFO) 8:55PM
Service will continue to operate via Seoul (ICN). Local traffic between Seoul and Shanghai is not permitted.
Patrick Quayle, United’s Vice President of International Network and Alliances, said:
“United has served mainland China for more than three decades and we look forward to continuing to connect customers traveling between the U.S. and Shanghai with two additional flights beginning in September.”
CONCLUSION
With demand currently exceeding supply by great margins, this new service to Shanghai will be both helpful to passengers and profitable for United’s bottom line.
The SFO-PVG is an empty flight. (Try to book a flight.) So profit wise????
It is actually SFO-ICN-PVG. Flightaware shows a 757 on the ICN-PVG-ICN legs but it is the same 777 for the complete trip. The crew changes on the ICN-PVG leg but the passengers stay on the plane.
There’s a greater demand to leave China since flights have been scarce with the restricted policy since March, you’ll be surprised to find that they’ll be able to make a lot with that demand.
SFO-PVG legs are pretty much limited to Chinese Nationals along with HK/MC/TW citizens, but you’ll still find vacancies. You should look up the rates they charge from PVG, upwards of $2000 for the cheapest economy seat with the demand, if you can find one.
Any idea when US travelers will be allowed back in Europe? I typically spend a few weeks in the summer visiting family in Germany and Austria but couldn’t do that this summer. I’m really hoping Christmas will workout but I’m not feeling great about those chances.
Europe will let us back in when we can get infection rates below 100 per 100,000 people like most of the EU member countries where travel is ok.
Right now the US is at a case rate of >1650 per 100,000 people … so the answer to your question is when do you think we can reduce our case rate by >15x from where it is today?
Had to cancel a Delta ATL => PVG flight yesterday in DeltaOne
Bet they’ll have a field day reselling that ticket!