BigGSFO From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2754 posts, RR: 7 Reply 1, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5813 times:
Quoting LAXdude1023 (Thread starter): 2) Is there any chance they or any other domestic airline will come back into LAX-HKG?
UA apparently favors the continued build-up of SFO as their primary transpacific gateway. I do not see them adding LAX-HKG back anytime soon.
By domestic airline, I assume you mean U.S. based airline, in which I would answer "probably not." Of the possible contenders, 1) NW seems committed to channel most US-Asian traffic via NRT; 2) AA serves LAX-HKG via code-share on oneworld parter CX - up to 3 times a day. Unikely they will add their own metal; 3) the much ballyhooed and fantasized DL transpacific expansion from LAX. Who knows?; 4) CO - LAX does not appear to be part of their transpacific strategy at this time.
AADC10 From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1831 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 5557 times:
The 1997 Asian currency meltdown and to a lesser extent, the return of HK to mainland China. The '97 Asian panic killed demand to Hong Kong. Even more pressure was placed on it when Chek Lap Kok opened which has rather high fees. Lastly, the role of Hong Kong shifted since more deals were made directly with mainland China rather than being brokered through Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has bounced back, but UA headed to Ch. 11. LAX shrank as a UA station (or alleged hub). A weakened feed and strong competition from Asian carriers led UA to use its resources elsewhere.
Jfk777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 7340 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 5361 times:
I 've always thought it sad for UA to abandon LAX to HKG, Cathay has proved its a big market with 3 744 daily. UA may find it more efficient to connect passengers through ORD, given the high percentage east of the Mississippi. Since UA does fly LAX to Australia and Tokyo, HKG would make the best third destination from LAX for Asia-Pacific service. SFO is much more competitive with SQ, Cathay and UA each flying a daily 744.
UnitedNRT From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 281 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5195 times:
The route was deemed a marginal success and the costs saved were found to be more beneficial than operating the flight itself. The flight wasn't a failure though. San Francisco was/is still the focus in terms of Asian haul which puts Los Angeles Intl at the disadvantage.
As far as the flight coming back, frames are needed first and then we can talk about it as it is a major piece missing from United Asia.
"...That's a lovely name. My name's Milton; Milton Ettenheim, but my friends call me Bubbles."
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6779 posts, RR: 25 Reply 5, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5177 times:
Quoting UnitedNRT (Reply 4): The route was deemed a marginal success and the costs saved were found to be more beneficial than operating the flight itself. The flight wasn't a failure though. San Francisco was/is still the focus in terms of Asian haul which puts Los Angeles Intl at the disadvantage.
For UA thats very true. They tend to favor SFO. My guess is that its because there is not as much competition as LAX from Asian Carriers on the whole. However with HKG, there is more competition at SFO.
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
UnitedNRT From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 281 posts, RR: 10 Reply 6, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5114 times:
Yes at San Francisco there is more competition, yet United can handle it due to the focus it places on the hub. Los Angeles was always thought of as the "second" gateway to Asia for United, which O'Hare acts as now.
I will say that Los Angeles has United's eyes on it in terms of seeing how the markets react to service increases/decreases and a Los Angeles to Hong Kong isn't out of the books in any sense other than the lack of B747-422 frames and the opportunity costs related with moving operations from established stations namely ORD and SFO.
"...That's a lovely name. My name's Milton; Milton Ettenheim, but my friends call me Bubbles."
B2443 From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 679 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5091 times:
Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 3): I 've always thought it sad for UA to abandon LAX to HKG, Cathay has proved its a big market with 3 744 daily.
The sad part is UA found it uncomptitive on LAX-HKG, eg, sub-par service compared to CX/SQ for o/d, not enough feed to sustain a 744 daily.
UnitedNRT From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 281 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5046 times:
Quoting B2443 (Reply 7): sub-par service compared to CX/SQ for o/d, not enough feed to sustain a 744 daily.
Service wasn't the deciding factor on the route, nor was the feed involved as the LAX hub at the time boasted 300+ daily departures to 40+ connecting destinations.
The cost savings with just sending pax to the same destinations via the primary Asian gateway, SFO, were deemed better. The route performed with some success, yet better things came from axing the stage altogether.
"...That's a lovely name. My name's Milton; Milton Ettenheim, but my friends call me Bubbles."
FL370 From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 252 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4898 times:
IIRC, UA discontinued LAX-HKG after 9/11. i think CX has that route to themselves, Correct me if im wong.
almost all the flights from the west coast to Asia on UA is out of SFO. SFO is the ticket to Asia.
Continental123 From United States of America, joined Nov 2006, 147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4883 times:
As weird as it seems, I can see in the horizon CO flying 767-400ER on that route to cooperate with CO Micronesia.
OzarkD9S From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 4680 posts, RR: 24 Reply 12, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4858 times:
Continental123 From United States of America, joined Nov 2006, 147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4835 times:
I'm thinking a direct flight with maybe a layover at HNL if not a nonstop. If this flight # continued on to Guam then this would be a smart and profitable for CO.
Notdownnlocked From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 915 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4827 times:
Pehaps some day DL can return to this route with their so called planned build up of the LAX focus city. Who knows?
OzarkD9S From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 4680 posts, RR: 24 Reply 15, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4810 times:
I'm thinking a direct flight with maybe a layover at HNL if not a nonstop. If this flight # continued on to Guam then this would be a smart and profitable for CO.
CO already operates LAX-HNL-GUM...a stop in HKG for any of these segments is backtracking. Now....LAX-GUM-HKG, maybe...but no one's gonna take that when LAX-HKG or LAX-NRT/ICN-HKG is a more direct routing.
BoeingFever777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 409 posts, RR: 57 Reply 16, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4790 times:
Quoting FL370 (Reply 9): i think CX has that route to themselves, Correct me if im wong.
No, you are correct. CX has (3) daily n/s flights from LAX-HKG.
CX 881 @ 745 on 744
CX 885 @ 1125 on 744
CX 883 @ 2220 on 744
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6779 posts, RR: 25 Reply 17, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 4544 times:
Quoting FL370 (Reply 9): SFO is the ticket to Asia.
Only on UA. LAX outnumbers SFO both in number of flights and carriers to Asia. The trouble is that CX is the only carrier from LAX-HKG. I personally wouldnt mind seeing CX go down to 2 times daily and having a UA, DL, or AA come in there. AA wont do it because of codeshare with CX. DL would do it, but they have other problems right now. UA could do it, it would be the next logical step for them from LAX. As pointed out, the flight wasnt nececarily a failure, the airframes were just used else where. LAX is key for UA internationally. LAX is their primary gateway to Australia, at least thats something.
Most will say that people wont mind a quick stop in SFO from LAX, but we cant swallow our pride and concede anything to NorCal
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
UAL777UK From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 3355 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 4532 times:
IMHO in years to come wheb UA get more frames the route will come back. I flew it at various times on UA and I cannot ever remember the flight going out other than very full.
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6779 posts, RR: 25 Reply 19, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 4510 times:
Quoting UAL777UK (Reply 18): IMHO in years to come wheb UA get more frames the route will come back. I flew it at various times on UA and I cannot ever remember the flight going out other than very full.
This is why it confuses me. I flew it when I was younger twice and both times it was very full. Another thing that confuses me is that I would think that UA specifically would want the route to come back because they offer connections from HKG as well as NRT.
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
Zvezda From Lithuania, joined Aug 2004, 10511 posts, RR: 66 Reply 20, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 4489 times:
Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 19): I would think that UA specifically would want the route to come back because they offer connections from HKG as well as NRT.
From HKG, UA only fly onward to BKK, SGN, and SIN. *A partner SQ fly nonstop LAX-SIN and *A partner TG fly nonstop LAX-BKK. Given how many Vietnamese are living in California, I would think that if UA were to resume LAX-HKG that flight number would become the one that tags to SGN.
AirCanada014 From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 1492 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 4414 times:
Like I said in previous post if and when AC gets their rights to fly LAX-SYD via YYZ then its possible AC would take advantage of using the 5th freedom route and fly LAX-HKG and have UA codeshare on the flight.
SparkingWave From South Korea, joined Jun 2005, 668 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 4370 times:
I think it would be in UA's best interest to reestablish nonstop service between LAX and HKG because it would become a new onestop service for the Vietnamese-American community in L.A.(Little Saigon) to fly to Ho Chi Minh City (via HKG on UA). Of course, even better would be nonstop LAX to SGN, but I digress.
SparkingWave ~~~
Flights to the moon and all major space stations. At Pan Am, the sky is no longer the limit!
SeeTheWorld From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 1275 posts, RR: 4 Reply 23, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 4316 times:
Quoting Zvezda (Reply 20): From HKG, UA only fly onward to BKK, SGN, and SIN.
UA discontinued HKG-BKK years ago, pre-9/11. Since UA is short on 744s, then with a China award, won't help LAX-HKG.
TinkerBelle From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (6 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3865 times:
Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 17): Most will say that people wont mind a quick stop in SFO from LAX, but we cant swallow our pride and concede anything to NorCal
Right back at ya. Not too many norcal people wanna take the hop to the zoo they call LAX for a connection unless they have to.
25 28l28l: What was the date range that UA operated LAX-HKG?
26 Exaauadl: The yields were very very poor during the Asian economic crisis. LAX-HKG wasnt the only Asian market discontinued by UA in the period 1998-2000. LAX,
27 N1120A: The major issue is that United no longer has more than 50 744s and saw the writing on the wall. Adding to that, their 772ERs don't have the requisite
28 UnitedNRT: Well, I guess we're all full of fuzzy logic here then.
29 LAXdude1023: Ummmm No. LAX is more lucrative then SFO, but as you point out LAX has almost double the competition. For what its worth, LAX is the driving force of
30 N1120A: Hey, Cathay does very well financially, United hasn't been. Still, the fuzzy logic I am talking about is that United has given up most of the LAX-Asi
31 UnitedNRT: N1120A, I know what you mean and it's a shame that the company decided to favor San Francisco over Los Angeles than running dual major gateways at onc
32 VC10DC10: Does Singapore Airlines have Fifth Freedom privileges between HKG and SFO?
34 N1120A: Last I checked, the US and Singapore have full open skies for 5th freedom flights.
35 UAL777UK: All the more reason IMHO that when UA get the frames, they should re-enter the market, especially when they offer the new international seats etc.
36 Jetdeltamsy: They either gave the aircraft back to its owner or they were losing money on the route..or both. The bottom line is if they were able to operate it pr
Sponsor Message: 
From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6779 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2754 posts, 
From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 8792 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 3355 posts, 
From Lithuania, joined Aug 2004, 10511 posts, 
From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 1492 posts, 
From South Korea, joined Jun 2005, 668 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
