New United Express Flights

[Cosmo]

Earlier this afternoon, United issued this press release announcing new United Express nonstop service in the following five markets:

IAD-AUS, 2 R/Ts, Mesa, CRJ-700
SFO-AUS, 1 R/T, Mesa, CRJ-700
DEN-RDU, 2 R/Ts, Mesa, CRJ-700
DEN-BHM, 2 R/Ts, SkyWest, CRJ-700
IAD-MSP, 3 R/Ts, Air Wisconsin, CRJ-200

These flights will start operating on various dates between late February and early April.

While United mainline served to two AUS routes until a year or two ago, AFAIK the other three routes have never received any nonstop United service (mainline or express). But the most interesting (to me, at least) news in the press release was the comment that the three Mesa routes will be operated with 64-seat CRJ-700s, presumably with a 6F/58Y configuration which is the same layout that Mesa operates for America West out of PHX. If these Express flights really will have first class seats, it will be a first for United and should appeal to the carrier's frequent fliers and the relatively few folks who actually buy those premium seats.

 

[N230UA]

Earlier this afternoon, United issued this press release announcing new United Express nonstop service in the following five markets:

IAD-AUS, 2 R/Ts, Mesa, CRJ-700
SFO-AUS, 1 R/T, Mesa, CRJ-700
DEN-RDU, 2 R/Ts, Mesa, CRJ-700
DEN-BHM, 2 R/Ts, SkyWest, CRJ-700
IAD-MSP, 3 R/Ts, Air Wisconsin, CRJ-200

These flights will start operating on various dates between late February and early April.

While United mainline served to two AUS routes until a year or two ago, AFAIK the other three routes have never received any nonstop United service (mainline or express). But the most interesting (to me, at least) news in the press release was the comment that the three Mesa routes will be operated with 64-seat CRJ-700s, presumably with a 6F/58Y configuration which is the same layout that Mesa operates for America West out of PHX. If these Express flights really will have first class seats, it will be a first for United and should appeal to the carrier's frequent fliers and the relatively few folks who actually buy those premium seats.

Cosmo,

The CR7s with first class seats have been flying DEN-PDX and DEN-STL among others for a while now...

Some of the UAX CR7s have retained the HPX interior... some are new deliveries with the same seats, but non-HPX decor.

Good news United is expanding the point2points in its network though, isn't it?

 

[Cosmo]

Cosmo,

The CR7s with first class seats have been flying DEN-PDX and DEN-STL among others for a while now...

Some of the UAX CR7s have retained the HPX interior... some are new deliveries with the same seats, but non-HPX decor.

Good news United is expanding the point2points in its network though, isn't it?

I knew that some of the CRJ-700s were already flying a number of routes out of DEN, but I didn't realize that those planes were in a two-class configuration. BTW, are the planes with the HPX interior going to be converted to a UAX interior at some point, or is it not worth the expense of doing so?

Regarding your "point2point" comment, I don't consider these routes to really be point-to-point routes because one end of each route is a United hub. But I do agree that it's good to see United's network expanding. Seeing more mainline expansion (beyond the new IAD-SJO route that starts in about four weeks) as United recovers its financial strength would be nice, too.

 

[N230UA]

Cosmo,

The CR7s with first class seats have been flying DEN-PDX and DEN-STL among others for a while now...

Some of the UAX CR7s have retained the HPX interior... some are new deliveries with the same seats, but non-HPX decor.

Good news United is expanding the point2points in its network though, isn't it?

I knew that some of the CRJ-700s were already flying a number of routes out of DEN, but I didn't realize that those planes were in a two-class configuration. BTW, are the planes with the HPX interior going to be converted to a UAX interior at some point, or is it not worth the expense of doing so?

Regarding your "point2point" comment, I don't consider these routes to really be point-to-point routes because one end of each route is a United hub. But I do agree that it's good to see United's network expanding. Seeing more mainline expansion (beyond the new IAD-SJO route that starts in about four weeks) as United recovers its financial strength would be nice, too.

I don't know if Mesa will modify the interiors. I doubt it, though, as they are so new, and Mesa is 0% savvy at marketing. I mean, have you seen their website? It looks like it came from the "1996: The internet hits big" time capsule.

RE: my point-to-point comment, whoops I don't know what I was thinking. These indeed are not point2points... rather they are "network strengtheners" 🙂 or more connecting of the dots, if you will.