Airlines try to be strategic about which specific aircraft variants they base at which airports. Airlines obviously want to match capacity to demand as much as possible. However, there’s also something to be said for fleet simplicity, in terms of not having too many aircraft variants based at a particular hub (in terms of aircraft…
Continue reading: United Brings Biggest Jet (777-300ER) Back To Newark
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A clear sign that TPAC remains muted. These are premium heavy planes too and so it makes sense to put them on routes were demand is seasonally high (FCO) or where connections are a focal point of the route (FRA, DXB).
UA has flown the 77W on EWR-FCO in 2022 and has used the jet on EWR-FRA as well, previously.
spot on! esp. since UA said their growth rate would slow in the Pacific. UA counted on rapid expansion of its international network post covid by holding onto older aircraft while AA and DL retired some aircraft.
UA had a low rate of growth on the Atlantic this year and is now faced w/ the same scenario in 2025 over the Pacific.
The huge revenue gains that UA made are drying up and UA still has to settle w/ its FAs which means its costs will be going up considerably. They cannot afford to add a bunch of capacity that will become more and more expensive to operate in a few months.
Add on that the 777-300ER is the most expensive aircraft in the US passenger fleet to operate and UA is in the position of trying to use it where they can get the best return for the summer - but the winter looks less appealing financially given that UA has a larger difference in summer and winter profitability than other US airlines.
Sounds good to me! Love flying these.
My hesitation is that the boarding areas in EWR aren't always big enough to handle these. It can get uncomfortably crowded when you're waiting to board, at least when they had these in EWR a few years ago.
Flew the UA 777-300ER from SFO to IAD last weekend. Flight came from HNL and was returning to SFO after arrival is SFO. Flight was completely packed. As a 1K I was 38 out of 114 on the upgrade list. NO ONE cleared the upgrade list. Mob scene at gate - as over 50 preboards including families, military, wheelchairs, and of course GS and 1K. Group 1 line had likely 50 people as well. At least top elites could get a Premium Plus seat in the IAD market (UA charges for it to EWR). So don't be thinking upgrades.
On my outbound IAD-SFO on a 787-800 - I was 13 out of 54 on the upgrade list - no one upgraded. When Global Services was called for preboard - most of them were in Economy (but in PP since not sold)
Let's see, do we care about 1K Randy not getting his free United upgrades?
No we don't.
I think the readers also forgot that DL’s A35K fleet is already more profitable than any 777-300 flying, even as a blueprint.
You realize a hub-to-hub route is probably not the best gauge of what your upgrade chances will be on EWR-FCO/FRA/DXB?
Surprised EWR-DXB is doing so well, I'd basically always take the EK JFK-DXB flight in that market (and have done so myself)
Next time tryout EWRDXB... EWR being less crowded and compact Airport everything is so fast. Especially when connecting from / to US domestic UA to UA connections are seamless.
My luggage always takes decades at JFK - I've done EWR-DXB on UA 6x since its launch in March last year and EK DXB-JFK 2x in the same time frame.
UA is an inferior product for sure, but you can't beat the convenience and a consistent level of mediocrity while EK can be wildly good or terrible.