Quantcast

United Airlines reduces frequency on Australian routes amid capacity concerns

Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
EasyJet pilot Paul Elsworth suspended after flying too close to mountain
Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions
Europe's airlines pivot to bite size M&A deals to limit cost, regulatory burden
Dave Emerson named new CEO of Virgin Australia, replacing Jayne Hrdlicka
Ryanair DELAYS controversial new boarding pass rule to avoid summer chaos
FAA Orders Inspection, Replacement of 737NG Engine Parts
Spirit Adds New Airport, Three Routes
Delta crash passengers should take the $30,000 payment, their lawyers say. Here’s why.
Budget airline launches new cheap flights to one of the UK’s top winter sun destinations
United Airlines reduces frequency on Australian routes amid capacity concerns
Research
Webp txr36ytg6uuvd13i8xrjnuempd4m
Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

Fifteen months ago, United Airlines announced significant growth plans for routes to Australia and New Zealand, becoming the largest airline serving Australia and surpassing Qantas. However, as noted by aviation watchdog JonNYC, the airline is now scaling back its operations.

".. IAH-SYD reduced from 7x to 3x weekly in November and December," tweeted JonNYC (@xJonNYC) on July 26, 2024.

United's current route network to Australia includes flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as from Houston to Sydney. The seasonal second flight between San Francisco and Sydney will operate only for two months at three days a week instead of daily. Additionally, a smaller aircraft will be used for the San Francisco to Melbourne route, and there will be fewer flights from Los Angeles to Melbourne leading into peak season. Houston to Sydney will also see reduced frequencies.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

United benefits from domestic feed provided by Virgin Australia, which controls about one-third of Australia's domestic flying compared to Qantas' two-thirds share. Historically, the Australian market has been strong for U.S. airlines during winter but weaker in summer; however, post-Covid trends have shown strong summer demand as well.

Despite this demand, there has been an overcapacity issue—particularly to Brisbane—which invested heavily in subsidizing new services from United, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. As these subsidies expire, further cuts are anticipated.

The Chicago-based carrier remains larger than its rivals in terms of service to Australia but is opting for smaller planes or less frequent flights on several routes. This strategy aims to reduce available seats while hoping to fill remaining aircraft at higher fares.

Interestingly, United has not made reasonable award seats available on underperforming routes, especially in premium cabins. Securing a premium cabin award seat to Australia remains challenging.

American Airlines previously released reasonably-priced redemption seats if passengers avoided non-stop flights or booked shortly after travel dates were loaded into their schedule; however, this practice has ceased. Delta rarely offers reasonably-priced long-haul redemptions. Similarly, Air Canada's flights to Australia are costly and Qantas primarily releases premium cabin saver inventory only to its own members rather than partner frequent flyer programs.

The difficulty in obtaining discounted premium seats suggests that flights might be performing well despite insufficient demand sustaining all operations—a potential indication of revenue management issues rather than just scheduling problems.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

United Airlines has announced the issuance of travel waivers for passengers whose flights were affected by closures at London Heathrow Airport.

Apr 2, 2025

ITA Airways announced that flight AZ806 managed to land safely after a brief hold due to nearby missile activity.

Apr 2, 2025

EVA Air has announced the reinstatement of its Premium Economy Class on the Seattle route, with three weekly flights scheduled from March 8 through July 27.

Apr 2, 2025

Emirates Airlines has announced the launch of a new door-to-door delivery service called 'Very Important Parcels' (VIPs), promising the same level of care as provided to its passengers.

Apr 2, 2025

Cargolux has announced the transportation of two lions, Tsar and Jamil, from captivity in Ukraine to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

Apr 2, 2025

Hainan Airlines announced that its Beijing–Oslo flight HU769 landed successfully in Norway.

Apr 2, 2025