Well it already has been publicized that UA is changing up their fleet on some of the Pacific routes. While some of these changes are liked some are disliked (i.e. HKG-SIN going to CO 738). This is one I think some will like. Effective 10/29/2011 NRT-SIN-NRT is going to the 744. Flights are being renumbered to 881/882. At the same time a change will be made to NRT-BKK-NRT. This route will downgauge to a 777. Flights are being renumbered to 803/804. If only we could get them to reverse the change on HKG-SIN and give us the jumbo back. I know there are rumors but nothing concrete yet!
On flyertalk it's been mentioned HKG-SIN will no longer be 738 and will go back to 744, there's just some frustration with the flight times. Too many corporate clients telling them where to stick it if HKG-SIN went to a 738.
It's also a major capacity cut from 330-400 seats to 130-150 seats, so it's a moronic marketing move that changed it from 744 to 738. Not to also mention the cut in cargo capacity for UA as well.
Ooops, misread city code and thought it was a down gauging of SGN. Eyes were a bit fuzzy this morning...posted before my first cup of coffee!
Leaving aside the premium class configuration issue, I'd think UA is in a much better position to calculate the needed seat and cargo capacity than any of us armchair route planners .
Amen! It helps to have inside information, Heathrow Guy can see basically whatever I see also. Each route has a Load & Yield data and there has been internal discussion in the Flt Ops section from Dispatch/Pilots that the 738 will not perform as Marketing expects on the downgauges. and I personally think but then again it's my opinion that Marketing shouldn't dictate what aircraft type flies what route but leave it to the Route Planning folks in Flight Operations.
I read the changes of gauge as steps designed to drive more connections over the NRT hub, primarily to SIN. Softened Japanese demand and the long-term trend of overflying NRT with nonstop flights to Pacific destinations has hurt traffic through the hub. By most metrics, HKG is a healthier market than NRT, so it's not unrealistic that UA may be showing a preference for local HKG traffic over lower-yielding flow. UA retains three cabin service to SIN via NRT with the benefit of connecting opportunities at NRT unavailable at HKG. SGN, on the other hand, is a less-competitive market and the very short duration of the HKG-SGN flight is well-suited for the 737.
Do you really believe that the marketing people plan what aircraft to use without insight into the cost of operating a route or what the yields are on that route? If not they'd just put 744s everywhere, right?
One reason I heard SGN works with a 744 is because it is significantly cheaper to overnight a 744 at SGN than HKG.
This gets discussed from time to time but I cannot believe that the cost of flying the plane - crew, fuel, maintenance cycles, etc. - can really offset parking fees.
Provided the HKG-SGN segment is at least breaking even, or contributing enough revenue to longhaul into and out of HKG to offset the expense. CO parks a 777 in HKG every night of the week when EWR-HKG could be run with a shorter turn like the rest of its Pacific flying.
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