CHICAGO- United Airlines (UA) scales back its Australia and New Zealand operations. This move comes 15 months after the airline’s major expansion in the region.
United previously surpassed Qantas (QF) as the largest carrier to Australia.
United Airlines Australia Flights
Aviation expert JonNYC first reported this development. United’s current Australian network includes flights from Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) to Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), and Brisbane (BNE). The airline also operates a Houston (IAH) to Sydney route.
United reduces its seasonal San Francisco to Sydney service. The flight will now operate for only two months, three days a week, instead of daily.
The airline downsizes aircraft for San Francisco to Melbourne flights. United decreases Los Angeles to Melbourne flights during peak season. Houston to Sydney service also faces frequency cuts.
Partnership with Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia provides United’s domestic connections in Australia. Virgin controls about one-third of Australia’s domestic market, while Qantas holds two-thirds. Historically, Australia-U.S. routes perform well in winter and poorly in summer.
Post-Covid trends show strong summer demand too. Oversupply issues emerge in the market, particularly in Brisbane.
Brisbane invested heavily to attract new services from the United, American, and Delta. Further cuts may occur when these subsidies end, reported Viewfromthewing.
Still Leading US Carrier
United Airlines maintains its lead in Australia-bound flights despite recent cuts. The airline reduces capacity on several routes without eliminating any. United aims to increase aircraft occupancy and raise fares by decreasing available seats.
Premium cabin award seats in Australia remain scarce. United rarely offers reasonable award options on underperforming routes. Australia stands as one of the hardest destinations for premium cabin awards.
American Airlines previously offered affordable redemption seats for non-direct flights. They also provided reasonable awards for early bookings on new schedules. American has now stopped this practice.
Delta seldom releases affordable long-haul flight redemptions. Air Canada charges high rates for Australia-bound flights. Qantas now reserves the most premium cabin saver awards for its own members.
The scarcity of discounted premium seats suggests strong demand. However, airlines struggle to fill all available flights to Australia.
What are your thoughts on these cuts by United? Let us know in the comments.
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