United Suspending Hong Kong & Buenos Aires Flights

without seeing the underlying figures from UA, we've no idea if the deteriorating Argentine economy resulted in UA having to gradually reduce the average ticket price on this route to keep the plane full ... to the point where it is no longer commercially viable ... especially with two other airlines connecting the cities. my "half" comment was meant to bang home the point that a full plane doesn't necessarily mean a profitable plane !

@ADS -- "a full flight does not mean a profitable flight ! if the average ticket price on a UA flight is currently half what it was a year ago, then you can’t complain about UA cutting the flight." I don't understand what you mean -- why would United cut its ticket price by 50% so that it can then subsequently cut that flight? Are you suggesting that the competition on that route is so astronomical as to precipitate such a huge ticket price drop? @ETHAN SCHLAMM said that "Sadly, the New York area is now only served by Aerolineas Argentinas and American, nonstop!"

I don’t really understand. Yes, a full plane doesn’t mean it’s a profitable flight...BUT... You really can’t say that EWR-EZE-EWR round trips did NOT have enough “demand” in one of the most profitable demographic and geographical markets for Latin Americans. In fact, I wonder why LATAM or AVIANCA haven’t considered flights to South America from EWR?

@ETHAN SCHLAMM a full flight does not mean a profitable flight ! if the average ticket price on a UA flight is currently half what it was a year ago, then you can't complain about UA cutting the flight.

I'm really upset about the suspension of UA's EWR-EZE flights 978 & 979. It may be due to the Argentine economy, but certainly NOT because of decreased demand. In the past year, I've made three round trips; and on all 6 flights on the 767's have been full. I am American, fluent in English and Spanish; and have noticed approximately the same percentage of South Americans as well as United States citizens utilizing customs and immigration lines at both Newark and Ezeiza. In fact, in checking the seat maps on each US flag airline, the flights on American from JFK, Dallas, Miami and now Los Angeles have also been at near capacity. United's other flight from Houston even utilizes a bigger jet- the 777 and that flight is running at near capacity. It's only Delta's A330 flights to/from Atlanta that are flying at less capacity. If UA had studied the market better, the bulk of the EWR passengers would be coming from a rather bigger geographical and population area--ALL of NYC except for Brooklyn and Queens, is closer to EWR. In addition, the ENTIRE state of NJ, Southeast Pennsylvania, northern Delaware are closer to EWR than New York's JFK (cheaper, too!) UA thus had a "gold mine monopoly" on utilizing EWR. Sadly, the New York area is now only served by Aerolineas Argentinas and American, nonstop! And, for me, living in Central New Jersey, the Newark non stops were very convenient! My next flights were to be from October 9 to October 30 to Buenos Aires. The 11 hour flight going down was quite enjoyable. Now, I'll have two flights to take with total time of close to 15 hours with a stop in Houston! I think I'm going to pressure American to consider a non stop from Philadelphia. Now, THAT would capture United's slot!