United BKK-NRT possibly being eliminated 3/30/2014

[MM 6,562]

A rather dense public relations letter to UA customers and shareholders is implying (I think) that UAL will be terminating the intra-Asia flights, most importantly (to many of us), the NRT-BKK segment.

 

My reading is that it seems they are dropping intra-Asia in lieu of the long-haul transpacific flights on the 787, being brought online.

 

They say somewhere in there, that they are leaving it to ANA to carry traffic to/from BKK to NRT.

 

Here is the link to the flyertalk page which contains some links to UAL announcements.

 

I hope I'm wrong, and they are just dropping the 747 BKK-NRT metal, but not the route.

 

I'd love to fly ANA, but they have always come up as way more expensive than UAL only flights.

 

 

[BigDUSA 71]

I'm surprised UAL would drop the NRT-BKK flight. Plane is usually at near capacity when I've flown this leg.

[MM 6,562]

I'm surprised UAL would drop the NRT-BKK flight. Plane is usually at near capacity when I've flown this leg.

 

Yes, I have to agree with that impression. I can always get seats on the transpacific segment, but the BKK-NRT seems booked more than not.

 

I'm hoping the intent is to just drop the 747s on that route and use 777's or smaller gear instead...but I don't think so, since they are palming passengers off on ANA.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

A rather dense public relations letter to UA customers and shareholders is implying (I think) that UAL will be terminating the intra-Asia flights, most importantly (to many of us), the NRT-BKK segment.

 

My reading is that it seems they are dropping intra-Asia in lieu of the long-haul transpacific flights on the 787, being brought online.

 

They say somewhere in there, that they are leaving it to ANA to carry traffic to/from BKK to NRT.

 

Here is the link to the flyertalk page which contains some links to UAL announcements.

 

I hope I'm wrong, and they are just dropping the 747 BKK-NRT metal, but not the route.

 

I'd love to fly ANA, but they have always come up as way more expensive than UAL only flights.

 

It certainly reads like it will be an ANA codeshare beyond Narita and the aircraft will be deployed elsewhere. I think the trouble with BKK is that the aircraft may appear full, but that's no good to the airline if everyone's on the cheapest tickets or using miles. Are there no other carriers, such as Asiana, that are an option?

Edited November 23, 2013 by CheshireTom

[Samsonite 181]

...United is also dropping some flights within Asia, including Tokyo-to-Bangkok, and using a smaller plane for Tokyo-to-Seoul. It will still connect passengers on those routes through partner ANA....

 

http://seattletimes.com/html/travel/2022296901_unitedcutscostsxml.html?syndication=rss

 

Sounds like they are dropping Asia in favor of Europe.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Samsonite

[MM 6,562]

It certainly reads like it will be an ANA codeshare beyond Narita and the aircraft will be deployed elsewhere. I think the trouble with BKK is that the aircraft may appear full, but that's no good to the airline if everyone's on the cheapest tickets or using miles. Are there no other carriers, such as Asiana, that are an option?

 

Personally, I'm now flying using miles...accumulated since 1995 and never used. The use of miles with the Mileage Plus program doesn't call out most codeshare airlines. That's my specific problem, I know, but it's important to me to have UAL BKK-NRT available for those last minute bookings.

 

My last trip, I flew Thai Air with a long layover in NRT because I couldn't get 1st class on UAL or the direct A380 from BKK to NRT.

 

This just makes it more difficult...and while this is happening, they are upping the miles required next year, reducing the route options, and just making it that much more difficult to fly on miles.

 

When the miles are exhausted or become unusable, I will switch to other, cheaper, perhaps more convenient airlines.

[Dungheap 243]

It's very hard to fly internationally on miles with ANA, need to book months in advance for that one allocated seat!

Edited November 23, 2013 by Dungheap

[MM 6,562]

It's very hard to fly on miles with ANA, need to book months in advance for that one allocated seat!

 

Yeah...and Thai doesn't seem to free up any premium biz or 1st seats for mileage hitchhikers like me.

[statman208 41]

I just bought that flight from NRT-BKK for July 2014. If it's no longer available, somebody didn't tell the website... or I guess I'll get a message at some point. I did notice it is a 777.

[MM 6,562]

I just bought that flight from NRT-BKK for July 2014. If it's no longer available, somebody didn't tell the website... or I guess I'll get a message at some point. I did notice it is a 777.

 

If you read the linked page on flyertalk, the last post or so says UAL will be notifying holders of BKK-NRT of this change.

 

Here's hoping it's just a hardware change and not a route elimination...fingers crossed still.

[steamer 158]

That flight is always full for me too. Crappy plane and IFE tho.

Maybe there is a silver lining as the flight times might change as I always seem to arrive around 23:00 or so.

[BigDUSA 71]

I remember a few years ago UAL went from a 747 to a 777. They soon went back to a 747. UAL has the cheapest flights from Philly to BKK. I'm hoping I don't have to change airlines.

[MM 6,562]

4 or 5 years ago, they canned the young, friendly, attractive Thai cabin staff and replaced them with the aged harridans from the USA who had union tenure.

 

That was a real disappointment.

[js007 795]

When I saw the news story the other day, it didn't make much sense to me. Why fly to just Tokyo? They're in the airline business and they surely must have customers for the route between Tokyo and Bangkok.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

http://seattletimes.com/html/travel/2022296901_unitedcutscostsxml.html?syndication=rss

 

Sounds like they are dropping Asia in favor of Europe.

 

The only trans-Pacific route United is dropping is Tokyo-Seattle route. It is also dropping some intra-Asia routes, including NRT-BKK. From the AP article:

 

"United is also dropping some flights within Asia, including Tokyo-to-Bangkok, and using a smaller plane for Tokyo-to-Seoul. It will still connect passengers on those routes through partner ANA."

 

Personally, I'm now flying using miles...accumulated since 1995 and never used. The use of miles with the Mileage Plus program doesn't call out most codeshare airlines. That's my specific problem, I know, but it's important to me to have UAL BKK-NRT available for those last minute bookings.

 

There's a Mileage Plus number in the U.S. you can call to book award flights. The agents have often been able to book me on flight combinations I couldn't pull up myself through the online booking system.

 

...and while this is happening, they are upping the miles required next year, reducing the route options, and just making it that much more difficult to fly on miles.

 

When the miles are exhausted or become unusable, I will switch to other, cheaper, perhaps more convenient airlines.

 

You can use your FF miles for hotel rooms and other things than flights, although reward flights are the most "cost effective" use of FF miles.

 

 

Yeah...and Thai doesn't seem to free up any premium biz or 1st seats for mileage hitchhikers like me.

 

There are some, but you have to book them far in advance, like six months. The other possibility is a few days before the flight departs, but that's a slim chance.

 

 

When I saw the news story the other day, it didn't make much sense to me. Why fly to just Tokyo? They're in the airline business and they surely must have customers for the route between Tokyo and Bangkok.

 

United is shifting the aircraft from the canceled Asian routes to shorter routes in Europe it thinks will be more profitable. It believes the customers from BKK to NRT can be accommodated on the code share flights.

 

But I hate ANA and will change from United if its the only option between BKK and NRT (Thai is OK in my book). I haven't checked lately, but in the past, you couldn't choose your seat in advance with ANA if you'd booked your flight through United. ANA was majorly uncooperative about giving me an aisle seat, even through I had a notarized doctor's letter stating I should have one for medical reasons.

 

Evil

Edited November 24, 2013 by Evil Penevil

[rmicheald 6]

I USED to fly United all the time for 30 years. I even had an ex-wife that was a flight attendant for them... BUT, for the last 3 years they have been $700 - $800 higher than Delta, so they lost my business.

Edited November 24, 2013 by rmicheald

[CheshireTom 1,377]

You have to keep in mind that at the likes of Thai AirAsia X (and other LCCs), due to launch its first routes early next year", are going to have an impact on the BKK-Japan market (albeit Tokyo Haneda, and not Narita).

[steamer 158]

You have to keep in mind that at the likes of Thai AirAsia X (and other LCCs), due to launch its first routes early next year", are going to have an impact on the BKK-Japan market (albeit Tokyo Haneda, and not Narita).

 

Every-time I'm waiting in Narita I'm constantly surprised how many announcements there are for flights to BKK

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Every-time I'm waiting in Narita I'm constantly surprised how many announcements there are for flights to BKK

 

ANA, JAL, Thai, Delta and one Thai charter service the route (in addition to United). The recent decision by Japan to waive/relax visa requirements for various ASEAN countries will, presumably, encourage more folk to use the route.

[Dungheap 243]

Evil, I agree that ANA is not too friendly toward its Star Alliance brothers but I find it a very good airline if you book with them direct. On the routes I fly the planes are always modern and the service friendly and attentive. Cabin crew tend to be easy on the eye. Oh, and the beers flow!

 

Tom, are you sure a huge boost in LCCs is going to happen at Haneda? I was led to believe that the window for international slots is very limited and the major carriers have booked them up, thus leaving Narita for the LCCs.

 

The expansion of international flights from Haneda is bliss for people living in Tokyo. Previously, most of those United, NorthWest flights used to leave Narita at 4-5 p.m. So you had to take a day off work only to waste it fucking around at that great white elephant Narita and rocking in to BKK around 11 pm!

 

Now, with most of the flights leaving around midnight from Haneda, ya can finish work, have a decent feed, head to Haneda around 10:30 pm, wake up in BKK at 6:30 and be on the tee by 10 am.

 

For you guys transiting to/from the US, perhaps going via Haneda is another option. The babes of the Ginza are only 30-40 minutes away, compared to the rice paddies of Narita!

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Tom, are you sure a huge boost in LCCs is going to happen at Haneda? I was led to believe that the window for international slots is very limited and the major carriers have booked them up, thus leaving Narita for the LCCs.

 

Not sure at all ... however, the launch of Thai AirAsia X and the tourist visa waiver initiated by Japan, both point to increased numbers between Japan and BKK. I assume, that Tokyo, either Haneda (where AirAsia X already operates to/from KUL) or Narita, will benefit at some point in the near future.

[steamer 158]

ANA, JAL, Thai, Delta and one Thai charter service the route (in addition to United). The recent decision by Japan to waive/relax visa requirements for various ASEAN countries will, presumably, encourage more folk to use the route.

 

I tried American once and they didn't seem to offer a connection but rather sloughed you off to China Eastern and that really sucked. They bypassed Narita/Japan altogether.

Edited November 24, 2013 by steamer

[sailingbill 1,032]

Could explain some recent changes i see with ANA . Love the airline , have status and book directly. So 1900-2700 usd "y" was upgraded on ticketing with miles.to business. Easy to rack up miles and Amex Plat transfers miles directly to ANA with 3 year expiration .Also had a couple free upgrades on the BKK-NRT. Now rule changes next year will make it hard to keep status , upgrades used to happen on ticketing in past years are sometimes wailtlisted until boarding. If you United folks come over on codeshare it will only get worse. Im done with the 24 hour trip in economy but with a 1300usd ticket i could just stay the night in Narita before heading home the next day . I fly IAD-NRT-BKK.