United Reinstates Nonstop Iad-smf

[Cosmo]

It only took about a week, but United's response to JetBlue's new IAD-SMF service and additional IAD-OAK service came out this afternoon. Similarly to JetBlue, United will reinstate daily nonstop service in the IAD-SMF market and add a third daily nonstop in the IAD-OAK market. Arguably, the times of United's IAD-SMF flights are more appealing than those of JetBlue, operating during the day eastbound and early evening westbound vs. Jetblue's late evening westbound and redeye eastbound flights. However, the fare levels offered by each carrier might be the determining factor for most passengers. You can read the United press release here.

The obvious next question is whether (or when) United will return to the IAD-SNA market to compete against JetBlue's IAD-LGB service. United already has a relatively large presence at SNA with nonstops to SFO, DEN and ORD, so possibly adding one or two daily nonstops to IAD might make some sense. And while the overall Washington-Orange County market is certainly large enough to support at least one daily nonstop flight, especially with United's potential connecting opportunities at IAD, perhaps it will take DOT awarding DCA-SNA rights to Aloha in the current DCA beyond-perimeter route case to spur United's competitive response in that market. We'll see.

 

[mweiss]

What equipment does UA fly that supports SNA-IAD? I ask because of the restrictions placed by the noise regulations at SNA.

 

[JAMAKE1]

I am glad to see United taking steps to protect its traditional turf. It seems as if ever since September 11, I have witnessed United not only losing market share, but have also seen their markets invaded by other carriers. United used to be the only carrier offering non-stop service from SFO to Boise and Spokane. If I am not mistaken, the SFO-GEG market has been abandoned altogether by United and now Horizon Air offers the only non-stops. I believe Horizon has also begun flying SFO-BOI. American has also invaded UA's markets including JFK-NRT, LAX-NRT, and soon, LAX-SAL and LAX-OGG. I was very pleased when UA started OAK-IAD non-stops in response to Jet Blue. I am sure that many of politicians who travel between the two capitals would prefer to have the option of first class upgrades as well as a global frequent flier program. I hope that the route will be a successful one for United. I would also love to UA begin SNA-IAD as a proactive gesture, rather than as a competitive reaction to Jet Blue.

 

[Cosmo]

mweiss:

IIRC, United operated B757s and A320s on the IAD-SNA route at some point back in the mid-1990s when they offered a nonstop service for a short while. I would assume that those two aircraft types, as well as the A319, would still work on that route.

 

[mweiss]

Cosmo, any sense of weight restrictions? In other words, can they fly these planes full out of SNA?

 

[ITRADE]

From what I remember, US could not do an A-319 nonstop from SNA to PIT. I think they went to a 757

 

[Cosmo]

mweiss:

ITRADE may indeed be right about the A319. However, according to the March 2004 OAG, American is flying SNA-JFK with B757s and Continental is flying SNA-EWR with B737-700s, both of which are longer markets than SNA-IAD. And I do recall that for at least a brief period, United operated SNA-IAD with A320s. But aircraft performance issues are not my specialty, so I will defer to others (particularly pilots and performance engineers) regarding each aircraft type's actual capabilities on the SNA-IAD sector.

 

[mweiss]

73Gs can make the trip, I'm pretty certain. The characteristics of DCA-SEA (flown with a 73G by AS) should be even tougher than SNA-IAD, and I believe AS flies it full. UA doesn't have any 73Gs in the fleet, which led me to wonder what else has the performance characteristics to do this sort of run.

757-200 sounds like a good possibility; I seem to recall hearing that the 752 has the best performance capabilities of the high-bypass narrowbodies.

 

[UseYourHead]

From what I remember, US could not do an A-319 nonstop from SNA to PIT. I think they went to a 757

I flew the A319 all the time between PIT SNA PIT, it was not a problem at all out of SNA (anymore than any other transport category jet on a 5700 foot runway).

 

[Bear96]

mweiss:

IIRC, United operated B757s and A320s on the IAD-SNA route at some point back in the mid-1990s when they offered a nonstop service for a short while. I would assume that those two aircraft types, as well as the A319, would still work on that route.

Cosmo,

I could be wrong, but I am pretty certain UA never operated an IAD-SNA flight.

 

[Just Plane Crazy]

UA did not operate SNA - IAD.

But they can get out of SNA with a A320/319 and go nonstop to IAD without any problem.

 

[Cosmo]

Bear96 & Just Plane Crazy:

Yes, United did indeed operate daily nonstop IAD-SNA service with B757s, but it was way back in 1994 and the flights lasted for less than one year. I found the flight schedules in the May and August 1994 OAGs.