It must be that time of year again where United Airlines goes around and changes timetables, routes and equipment for its summer timetable.
United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER with Winglets departing London Heathrow – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.
There are a substantial amount of changes which are documented by AirlineRoute better than I can, but I’ll try and provide some highlights on the network.
Equipment is noted by its legacy (eg Ex Continental or Ex United), so I hope for those of you who haven’t forgotten the merger .
USA <> Europe
- Houston – Frankfurt will use a Continental 777-200ER from 4th June 2015 (with a 787-8 operating between 5th March at 3rd June)
- Newark to Barcelona will use switch over to a United 767-300ER instead of a Continental 767-400ER between 6th May and 3rd June, and 1st August to 17th August
- Newark to Berlin Tegel will operate with a United 767-300ER instead of a Continental 757-200 between 4th June and 17th August
- Newark to Frankfurt will operate a United 777-200ER instead of a Continental 767-400ER bewteen 1st August to 23rd September
- Newark to Lisbon will operate with a United 767-300ER instead of a Continental 757-200 between 4th June and 17th August
- Newark to London Heathrow will have a mishmash of equipment, with 1 Continental 777-200, 3 United 767-300ERs and 1 Boeing 787 on UA114/UA111. Check before you fly.
- Newark to Milan Malpensa will gain a United 777-200ER from a Continental 767-400ER from 28th March for the Summer season.
- Newark to Paris gets a mishmash of equipment changes and flight number changes. UA57/56 will us a United 767-300ER, then a Continental 767-400ER, a Continental 777-200ER, a Continental 767-400ER and finally a a Continental 757-200. UA 54/55 will be renumbered UA954/955 between 4th June an 31st July, switched to a United 767-300ER.
- Newark to Zurich will have a capacity drop for the summer, with a United 767-300ER from a Continental 767-400ER from 6th May.
- Washington Dulles – Rome – Summer timetable will use Continental 767-400ER instead of a United 777-200ER
USA <> South America
- Houston to Sao Paulo – United 767-300ER replaces a United 777-200ER from 4th June
- Washington Dulles to Sao Paulo United 767-300ER replaces a United 777-200ER from 6th April
USA <> Asia
- Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh will get a slightly smaller plane, operating a Boeing 737-700 instead of a Boeing 737-800 on 4 out of 7 flights between 3rd August and 1st September
- Honolulu to Tokyo Narita will get equipment swaps left, right and centre, operating a 747-400 from 4th June to 1st July, A Boeing 787-9 between 2nd July to 17th August, and going back to a 747-400 from 18th August
- Los Angeles to Tokyo Narita goes to a Boeing 787-9 from 6th May
- San Francisco to Chengdu goes daily between 4th June and 30th August, using a Boeing 787-8
- San Francisco to Shanghai Pu Dong will go double-daily from 6th May, using a Boeing 777 and a Boeing 747-400.
- Tokyo Narita to Singapore will use a Boeing 747-400 instead of the usual 777-200ER betweek 18th August and 23rd September
Data: Airlineroute – http://airlineroute.net/2014/12/13/ua-s15update1/
So the usual travel advice goes out when United does this game; check your bookings if you have made them, and double check your seat assignments.
Oh yes, more changes are entirely likely. As summer 2015 is more than a few months off – things will probably change.
With different equipment comes different expectations… and sometimes, it’s not a bad idea to lower or raise them depending on the plane being used…
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