IL96M From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 133 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (7 years 1 month 3 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 1855 times:
I just flew LAX-GRU and GIG-GRU-LAX on RG MD-11 last week, on PP-VTP both times. An interesting ride but kind of shabby cabin (ex-SR plane). 777 and A340 are much better experience, so let's hope RG brings those 777s back.
It is a rumor, but the source is very reputable... However remember it is just a rumor at this point. The rumor is that the flight will not be daily, but 4 x per week. And that the frequency will be transferred from an existing United flight elsewhere in the system, if United cannot gain additional Brazilian frequency.
Remember.. Just a rumor
Varig, is a wonderful airline yet they struggled greatly over the years with West Coast operations. In the past the have offered the following.
United can offer something much stronger connecting SFO to GRU. They can feed off of an immense number of West Coast and Asian connecting flights to Brasil, as well as a nice chunk of O/D in the SFO-GRU market. There is a very healthy number of people in and around San Francisco from Goiania, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, and Curitiba..
Laxintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22029 posts, RR: 51 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 month 3 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1759 times:
The ever shrinking fleet at Varig due to its continued financial problems seem to strike again!
I been watching the Varig LAX passenger boardings in January and February since the loss of the Japan service, and it seems the carrier is struggling with the reduction of frequencies which were down to 4 already prior to this last cut.
Its almost a self prophesy, the more frequencies get reduced, the harder it becomes to fill the aircraft.
Quoting MalpensaSFO (Reply 2): United is looking at operating a SFO-GRU-GIG
I would leave it as a rumor (a nice one) for now eventough I know United seems to look at California-Brazil services every couple of years.
Several factors work against this rumor;
Projected loadwise, the workable United aircraft is the 763, however it cannot operate SFO/LAX-GRU nonstop as its on the edge of the types payload/range capabilities and more importantly lacks FAA required crew rest facilities for scheduled trips over 12 hours block time.
As such United would need to use a scarce 777 on the route, which then becomes too big according to projections, not being to produce the required loads for the services to profit.
Its somewhat a catch-22 situation.
While it would it would be great to see United start such a service, I just dont see it pulling its scarce widebody resources from other established services to risk this questionable route profitability wise at the moment.
But as I've said, I know for certain this route (LAX in most recent study) gets considered every other year or so at United.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
LipeGIG From Brazil, joined May 2005, 11201 posts, RR: 61 Reply 4, posted (7 years 1 month 3 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 1620 times:
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Quoting Laxintl (Reply 3): I been watching the Varig LAX passenger boardings in January and February since the loss of the Japan service, and it seems the carrier is struggling with the reduction of frequencies which were down to 4 already prior to this last cut.
Its almost a self prophesy, the more frequencies get reduced, the harder it becomes to fill the aircraft
Hi Hakan!
You're 100% right. And there is demand for a daily California-Brazil flight, but you need to respect the schedulle to attract people that nowadays use to travel thru DFW, MIA and IAH. All the times i saw the loads from Varig for LAX route, use to be very high and the fares are not low!
Varig is killing itself.
They also reduced MUC (the new route), and will turn CDG-GRU into a daily light flight.
Quoting IL96M (Reply 1): I just flew LAX-GRU and GIG-GRU-LAX on RG MD-11 last week, on PP-VTP both times. An interesting ride but kind of shabby cabin (ex-SR plane). 777 and A340 are much better experience, so let's hope RG brings those 777s back
Varig is not in condition to compete with other airlines using their MD-11's. The lack of confort as well as PTVs even on C and F, reduces the high yield pax numbers. LAX use to be profitable as RG is the single player and the non stop trip saves up to 4 hours.
Felipe
New York + Rio de Janeiro = One of the best combinations !
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