United Airlines discontinuing all service to Thailand

[Up2u]

Just a heads up, as I know several members use United Airlines for their travels.

 

Effective March 30, United Airlines will no longer fly to Bangkok.  Their current schedule between Tokyo-Narita and Bangkok will cease.

 

What is the source of this post? My ff friend went on the United website and booked an August flight from SFO to BKK via NRT. The United announcement said they were only dropping the 747 service. I went to the United site and confirmed this. There is no mention of dropping BKK service from United itself.

[Bob]

I don't know and really don't care (I fly Korean Air) but, for the heck of it, just tried to book any flight on United from Tokyo to Bangkok in April.  Couldn't do it on the United website (which makes me think they're not flying that route anymore). It's either that or all their April flights are fully booked (which I knda doubt).

[firecat69]

They did not update their computers until yesterday. Some like me might think they kept taking the money and then change your flights to ANA where they keep the bulk of the income.

[Guest anonone]

What is the source of this post? My ff friend went on the United website and booked an August flight from SFO to BKK via NRT. The United announcement said they were only dropping the 747 service. I went to the United site and confirmed this. There is no mention of dropping BKK service from United itself.

The discontinuation of United Service has been confirmed. In fact, I spoke with some United staff at BKK a couple days ago and they are all looking for new employment for once March arrives. I thanked them for their great service over the years....very sad.

 

As a sleazy move, United had not adjusted their schedule, so their website would continue to sell you space on United planes...for a flight they have no intention of flying. My guess is this was all due to their lack of profit since they were taken over by Continental Airlines. They needed to announce to stock analysts some major expense cuts (2 Billion US $), so they are now trying to figure out how to implement their hasty decision.

 

They are going to rely on All Nippon Airways to carry the United passengers to BKK, but ANA's schedule was not synced up to allow for connections to and from the UA flights. Over the course of the next several weeks, they will align the schedules and eventual sell the tickets as they are actually going to fly.

 

PLEASE BE AWARE: If you have a ticket on UA flight for travel to BKK for after service discontinues, check you reservation on-line regularly. UA is known for not handling schedule changes well, and sometimes even just drops entire segments off your reservation because of it. You will need to monitor to ensure you are correctly switched over to the ANA flight. Otherwise, you might get stuck in NRT trying to get it fixed.

[Up2u]

The discontinuation of United Service has been confirmed. In fact, I spoke with some United staff at BKK a couple days ago and they are all looking for new employment for once March arrives. I thanked them for their great service over the years....very sad.

As a sleazy move, United had not adjusted their schedule, so their website would continue to sell you space on United planes...for a flight they have no intention of flying. My guess is this was all due to their lack of profit since they were taken over by Continental Airlines. They needed to announce to stock analysts some major expense cuts (2 Billion US $), so they are now trying to figure out how to implement their hasty decision.

They are going to rely on All Nippon Airways to carry the United passengers to BKK, but ANA's schedule was not synced up to allow for connections to and from the UA flights. Over the course of the next several weeks, they will align the schedules and eventual sell the tickets as they are actually going to fly.

PLEASE BE AWARE: If you have a ticket on UA flight for travel to BKK for after service discontinues, check you reservation on-line regularly. UA is known for not handling schedule changes well, and sometimes even just drops entire segments off your reservation because of it. You will need to monitor to ensure you are correctly switched over to the ANA flight. Otherwise, you might get stuck in NRT trying to get it fixed.

Thank you for your post, I will share this with my friends. I find it unconscionable that an US business has such an unethical business practice. I went to their website and selected some July dates and the cancelled BKK service is listed and being sold.

[firecat69]

They are an airline so by definition they are unethical.  

 

Only major US airline that I  can think of which has not screwed its FF'yers  is probably SW and I'm not sure about them.

[vinapu]

No wonder some people are calling United "Untied airlines"

[fedssocr]

Theoretically they could also book you on TG from NRT instead of NH for people flying on the BKK.

 

With all of their unfriendly changes I am glad I spent all of my miles. Now I need to figure out what my strategy will be going forward as far as picking a plan to collect miles in. None of them is probably all that great these days.

[mahjongguy]

Several California friends who were formerly loyal to United or EVA have now switched to Cathay Pacific. They fly SFO-HKG-BKK. Very good service, and two trips a year earns enough status to get lounge access.

[vinapu]

Tired with all unfriendly changes to frequent fliers programs   I treat miles as byproduct and usually pick up flight using blend of lowest price and shortest connection time.

 

Interestingly to myself I noticed that with age and mileage flown I take better those very long flights and find them less tiring than say,  10 years ago , on another hand jet lags seem to be getting worse and worse. Wonder if it's just me or others have similar experience?

[kokopelli]

For me, just the oppositve.  In the old days I was not bothered by the long flights esp in Economy but now that would be an agonizing experience. Jet lag is usually not a concern.

[fedssocr]

I always try to arrive in Asia in the late evening so that I can just go to the hotel and go to bed. That way I get onto the new time pretty quickly without much jetlag.

 

For me the problem is that once you've flown "up front" it's nearly impossible to go to the back of the bus again. I've been using miles to get to Asia for the last several years. I just booked next year's trip using the rest of my UA miles and a big chunk of AA miles. I've still got enough US miles in the bank that I should be able to book one more F class trip for 2015 once the merger is finalized as long as the new AA doesn't really devalue their miles. After that I'll be at near zero unless some mileage windfall comes along in the meantime. It was all a fun game while it lasted.

 

I'll probably end up going to Europe more instead of Asia since the flights are so much shorter that even if I have to fly in the back I will be able to survive it.

[Guest anonone]

United finally got around to adjusting their BKK schedules.  If you have a ticket which includes the NRT->BKK segment on United flight operating after April 1, be sure to check your itineraries on-line.  There should be a message in red text to have you phone united due to the change.  There are many reports that United has failed to automatically re-book passengers onto the ANA flight. 

 

Call now to get things straightened out.

[Up2u]

United finally got around to adjusting their BKK schedules.  If you have a ticket which includes the NRT->BKK segment on United flight operating after April 1, be sure to check your itineraries on-line.  There should be a message in red text to have you phone united due to the change.  There are many reports that United has failed to automatically re-book passengers onto the ANA flight. 

 

Call now to get things straightened out.

My friends have done just what you said and they have confirmed no more NRT to BKK service. They have not been rebooked to ANA.

[Guest anonone]

Typical United incompetence.

 

If you don't mind reporting back, I would be curious to know what happens when they phone United.  If they don't have status with United, some of the overseas agents can be frustrating to work with....

 

Good luck.

[Guest blazer]

Farewell, United

 

[Guest anonone]

Love to see planes in flight, but I think United died in March of 2012, when they were taken over by the incompetent management team from Continental airlines. The globe on the tail is not the real United.

 

This is the airline that I remember

 

[Guest jimnbkk]

Yes!  I had a UAL return from BKK to Narita on 31 March.  As suggested, I kept checking and to my surprise (not) I found they had simply deleted my flight from BKK to Narita.  So, I was left to presume that I was to swim the distance.  I gave them a week to fix the problem, and when they didn't I called.  I talked to a very nice lady who finally had to talk to her supervisor.  I was on hold for about 15 minutes.  When she came back, she said they had an ANA flight but in Narita there was only a 50-minute connection time with my on-going flight to San Francisco, and they required a one-hour connection time minimum.  She said they'd email me with an update to my itinerary.  They did.  The 50- minute connection. 

 

I think my long-term relationship with UAL is rapidly approaching an end.  I've got nearly one million miles.  Probably never get there now. 

[firecat69]

???? what happened to finish of story?

[vinapu]

Firecat, where you are ? I thought you about to arrive in PTY, on Nov 23 you commented on one of my post that  you arrive in 24 days. 

[firecat69]

Hold your Horses.  LOL  You work at the NSA???   I arrived 18 hours ago and been recovering.  hehehehehehehehehehehe

[vinapu]

Welcome back !

 

What the hell is NSA, some spy agency?

 I just happened to read my own post yesterday to recover boy's name and came across of you comment about returning.

 

You better  recover in boy's arms at 11.30 p.m. than in front of screen

[Guest jimnbkk]

To continue my story:  I just got an email from United.  They say that ANA will take over service to Bangkok and 'all will be well'.  It says that ANA and United will have a 'joint venture'.  I just checked my fare class.  It's "L" and I get to accrue miles flying ANA on my United frequent flier with this class of fare.  It's worth checking if you get an ANA ticket to make sure that they give miles on the class of fare you have purchased.  I have flown on Singapore Air and Austrian Air the last year and both are "partners" but neither gave me miles for the flights because my fare class was too low. 

 

The gates used by ANA and United are in same terminal in Narita, so I should be able to make it to the flight to San Francisco ok.  Just hope my luggage makes it too.

[vinapu]

I'd take spare shirt, sock and undies in carry-on just in case you luggage flies next day, when checking in BKK make sure they put red tag ' short connection' on your luggage to increase chances it flies with you all the way

[fedssocr]

Minimum Connect Time at NRT is actually only 45 minutes for this connection. But that assumes everything is on time.

 

I flew via NRT a couple of years ago in F. It was a TG to UA connection. I was met at the end of the jetway by an ANA rep who walked me through security to my gate. Boarding was already nearly complete by the time I got there. I think it was supposed to be about 50 or 55 minutes connection time but we were late departing BKK and I was freaking out a little bit. It certainly helped that I was flying up front and the agent could radio ahead to let them know we were on our way. My bag made it no problem.

 

Since you're flying in economy I would try to get a seat as close to the front as you can and let the crew know you have a short connection. They may let you get off right after business class. 

 

I would maybe also check TG's schedule and see if they have any flights that have a bit better connection. Since it's all Star Alliance they should be able to book you with them instead.