United Airlines

[User001]

The issue with any scoot flight is that Scoot is not designed to go head to head and replicate Singapore Airlines routes.

Given SQ serve SIN-FRA-JFKvf with an A380, I'd say it's unlikely we would see a Scoot SIN-BHX-JFK (although it's entirely possible to see a SIN-BHX flight on TZ in time).

It will be interesting to see who this mystery new airline will finally be if it comes off, it could be the answer BHX needs to finally make some headway into the USA.

 

[hammerb32]

I do wonder if UA were aware of the 'mystery' airline and walked away rather than put up a fight? Take up I suppose could be a reason but loads seems to be pretty good whenever I've looked, of course TCX up the road and the usual basement prices down the road could have been trashing yield.

 

[Brum X]

And i was thinking this last night, isnt it a bit "creepy" that this week Paul Kehoe left BHX and with him one of our long serving airlines. Just a bad coincidence or what ?

 

[thunderchild]

And i was thinking this last night, isnt it a bit "creepy" that this week Paul Kehoe left BHX and with him one of our long serving airlines. Just a bad coincidence or what ?

Just a coincidence I'd say, no need to call in Mulder and Scully!

 

[58terminus]

And i was thinking this last night, isnt it a bit "creepy" that this week Paul Kehoe left BHX and with him one of our long serving airlines. Just a bad coincidence or what ?

Ironic really that his new career seems to be with organisations created to boost the West Midlands
including the successor to Marketing Birmingham. Should be busy.

 

[BHXsupporter]

It was certainly a pessimistic report on BBC Midlands tonight (watch at 2230 h perhaps?) about the effect the United withdrawal would have on BHX's overall standing as an important airport against other UK airports and in the eyes of other countries. Simon Calder of the Independent didn't mention United at MAN though and steered towards the gloomy side of the news while giving an inkling of other opportunities.

 

[User001]

Simon Calder knows jack sh*t about the airline industry, I have more knowledge at the end of my finger than he possesses in total. It's so frustrating when they wheel him out for 'expert advice'.

He is good at destination knowledge, but his airline knowledge leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[BHXsupporter]

I wondered from your post above whether I should suggest User001 that you should apply for PK's job. Now I'm convinced that you should!

 

[Brum X]

I wondered from your post above whether I should suggest User001 that you should apply for PK's job. Now I'm convinced that you should!

No way jose, he will drive Air India out of BHX and upto MAN

 

[User001]

drive out Air India and wipe out any prospective bonus and likely loose the job immediately? Nah, would rather have the money than push a B787 up the motorway!

 

[Ianbutty]

The Birmingham mail have sums it up, rather United did: not enough take up. If I was running a business which requires regular trips for staff to NYC that requires flexibility I would not chose BHX. One flight a day. Doomed. When AA led the death knell was set.

Lets not mourn but anticipate sustainable growth. Our US airline days may be over, but elsewhere we are booming.

 

[BHXsupporter]

A bit more positive on the BEEB's Midlands Today at 2230 h with a live broadcast with runway behind.

 

[Yawner]

It's the same cycle that's been going on for a while with British Airways and the big US carriers. Essentially, they want to serve LHR and nowhere else. Unfortunately, pesky smaller airlines step in to the regional gaps, make some money, but then get bullied or swallowed by the big boys. At MAN it started with Sabena. Laker, Continental, BMI and US Airways also had success but suffered at the hands of the establishment. Continental was particularly good at maximising regional airport potential, but once swallowed by UA the same pattern continues. Retreat to LHR. Same with US/AA.

The nature of this cycle means that new, smaller airlines will see the gaps this creates at points outside LHR and step in. How long they last is another matter. Maybe, Norwegian and Thomas Cook are showing a new way forward or maybe they're just at the start of the cycle and are ripe for picking off by the big boys one way or another.

 

[Ianbutty]

Good post Yawner. The US airlines are extremely fickle. Continental/United only needed/need a small downturn to pull the plug. Their loss.

 

[richard winterbourn]

First of all i don't believe in conspiracy theories, therefore in my opinion PK leaving BHX and United pulling the plug on Newark are purely co-incidental.
Secondly i have reservations about the view of some who say the public ignored United and previously AA flights to NYC and instead chose other airports . I say this because Icelandair which offers transit, and Aer Lingus which offers pre-clearance don't seem to be struggling. And, possibly, you could add in Luft via Frankfurt, KLM via AMS and AF via Paris.
I really do think there is more to the view that AA and United were offering a pretty poor product bedevilled by, in the main, cancellations. Their poor performance eats away at confidence to the point that even the less frequent traveller will opt for an alternative.
As regards the business traveller, he or she rarely books their own flights. This will be done in-house in their respective companies and maybe here there was a growing reluctance to use an airline with a poor performance record.
As regards this latter point, that may well be the reason why TC seem to be doing very well to NYC from Man.
There is no science in what i say, merely a gut feeling that would explain firstly AA and latterly United abandoning BHX. And who knows, in the long term, their leaving might prove to be a blessing in disguise....

 

[Creguk]

As regards the business traveller, he or she rarely books their own flights. This will be done in-house in their respective companies and maybe here there was a growing reluctance to use an airline with a poor performance record.

I have to agree with this part - my wife works for a well known supermarket and has to travel to the Far East for meetings. They choose Emirates as they literally get off the plane and straight into meetings. I couldn't imagine how this feels with a sub-standard service (that from what I hear, AA and in some respect, United were offering).

However, I have flown the United bird to Newark on occasions and as a leisure passenger, I didn't mind it. I would rather this than the commute to MAN or and London airport.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I agree too.

A friend of a friend of a friend, who I meet very occasionally, works for a large company in our region and part of their role is booking flights for executives (east and west). The last time I met them the common theme was that said executives 'love flying from London' as 'the premium product there is just so much better' and 'they can usually go direct'. Competing with that is near impossible.

Richard also makes a very good point about reliability.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

I agree too.

A friend of a friend of a friend, who I meet very occasionally, works for a large company in our region and part of their role is booking flights for executives (east and west). The last time I met them the common theme was that said executives 'love flying from London' as 'the premium product there is just so much better' and 'they can usually go direct'. Competing with that is near impossible.

Richard also makes a very good point about reliability.

Worse than that Ray,

A client who lives in Kenilworth traveled to Melbourne, via Dubai. She and her partner flew from Heathrow with limo pickup. I enquired whether they were traveling first, as business was available 25 miles up the road, but she answered that they were traveling business, they like the limo pickup and that it was booked through their travel consultant.

 

[Jerry]

Another factor to consider with an american airline is what they are offering cross-continental in the US.
United have started to introduce a flat bed business service on many of it's cross continental routes from BOS, LAX, SFO and EWR and HNL and it may well look like they simply don't have enough 757's to keep the TATL and for reasons they only know are unwilling to go in with a widebody even if it means a reduced frequency. Hopefully whoever this new airline is will do well and maybe prove to the US3 that if done correctly regional UK can be profitable and worth it.

 

[Brum X]

It defo does not make me feel any better for the BHX loss but noticed this today.

United Airlines during the weekend of 28JUL17’s schedule update adjusted Newark – London Heathrow operation, for summer 2018 season. The adjustment sees overall service reduction from 6 to 5 daily, from 24MAR18, as UA077/076 service is being cancelled.

Oh well, no doubt will be replaced with there Star Alliance buddy Air China who will increase LHR-PEK on a 777