United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[levelnine]

Not much point in having bigger windows if you’re not allowed to look out of them.

Though Australia to US is almost entirely over the water, so not the largest loss in the world.

I've taken Polaris on both aircraft types a lot recently, and couldn't really tell the difference. Pick whichever works for your schedule.

 

[henrus]

Not much point in having bigger windows if you’re not allowed to look out of them.

I've flown a few UA 787 flights and never had any problems with the crew locking the windows.

Though Australia to US is almost entirely over the water, so not the largest loss in the world.

Add to this on flights from AU to the US they all leave around 9-10am meaning the first half of the flight is during the day (lights are often kept on and the windows can be left open) then the last half is during darkness anyway. On the return flights from the US to Australia they all leave late at night under darkness and it typically only gets light in the last 3-4 hours anyway.

 

[Mr H]

Though Australia to US is almost entirely over the water, so not the largest loss in the world.

I use windows not only for looking at the view but also enjoying daylight to help me adjust to the new time zone.

 

[ben95]

I've flown a few UA 787 flights and never had any problems with the crew locking the windows.

Unpopular opinion: I can’t sleep wearing eye mask so I actually prefer the windows to be locked so nobody opens it up to full in the middle of a 15 hour flight and it’s bright daylight outside.

A big advantage for the 787 is that it’s dimmable so you can get a reasonable view without having to max the brightness. On other aircraft’s sometimes even just a crack of the blinds let in an incredible amount of light.

 

[Mr H]

Unpopular opinion: I can’t sleep wearing eye mask so I actually prefer the windows to be locked so nobody opens it up to full in the middle of a 15 hour flight and it’s bright daylight outside.

There was a thread on this and your opinion is not unique.

A big advantage for the 787 is that it’s dimmable so you can get a reasonable view without having to max the brightness. On other aircraft’s sometimes even just a crack of the blinds let in an incredible amount of light.

I don't see that as an advantage. You need proper daylight to beat jetlag. Besides which, one open blind on a dark cabin seems to have a much bigger impact than if all the blinds had been open. Isn't that how cameras work?

 

[Phoenix-1]

FWIW, I'd always go for the $60. Cheap points.

However, on a slightly different subject, I happened to notice on seats.aero that there were quite a few business class points redemptions available on UA to LHR, at a very reasonable points/$$$ price.

I may well use this for a trip next year (availability permitting). Haven't been to the USA for about 20 years, even though I'm lifetime Plat with UA.

Can you book SFO/LAX - LHR reward seats? Or only connecting fights originating from AU? E.g MEL-SFO-LHR

 

[bcworld]

Can you book SFO/LAX - LHR reward seats? Or only connecting fights originating from AU? E.g MEL-SFO-LHR

You can...no need to start in AU.

 

[antycbr]

Any advice on route availability when United direct has 9 economy seats but VA availability is zero? This is IAH-SJU for March next year and there is plenty of direct UA availability at the cheapest rate in their program?

As a plan B does anyone have any experience booking via Singapore Keisflyer for UA? They aren’t showing the UA availability either.

Any guidance very much appreciated!

 

[henrus]

Any advice on route availability when United direct has 9 economy seats but VA availability is zero? This is IAH-SJU for March next year and there is plenty of direct UA availability at the cheapest rate in their program?

Are you sure these are actually award seats open to partners? United has different award categories with only some available to partners, whilst the whole of March shows plenty of award space it's actually only YN award space (see the bottom flight) this costs more points and is only bookable on the United website. To book with a partner like Velocity or Krisflyer you need X award space in Economy. There are two dates with X awards 4/3 and 16/3, see below difference on the UA website:

Sure enough searching the same date on Velocity shows the X award space flight on the 16th:

and on Kirsflyer:

 

[antycbr]

Are you sure these are actually award seats open to partners? United has different award categories with only some available to partners, whilst the whole of March shows plenty of award space it's actually only YN award space (see the bottom flight) this costs more points and is only bookable on the United website. To book with a partner like Velocity or Krisflyer you need X award space in Economy. There are two dates with X awards 4/3 and 16/3, see below difference on the UA website:
View attachment 383881
Sure enough searching the same date on Velocity shows the X award space flight on the 16th:
View attachment 383882
and on Kirsflyer:
View attachment 383883

Thanks for confirming, I will just have to go indirect (QF has availability over MIA and CLT) or stump up for the fare ($USD250 isn't too bad for the length of sector).

 

[levelnine]

United cancelling its LAX-BNE and LAX-AKL routes but upgauging its SFO-BNE route: United Airlines Updates Winter Schedule, Ending Two Long-Haul Routes — Ishrion Aviation

Inevitable. Bad news for award availability. But could have been worse.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

United cancelling its LAX-BNE and LAX-AKL routes but upgauging its SFO-BNE route: United Airlines Updates Winter Schedule, Ending Two Long-Haul Routes — Ishrion Aviation

Very bad news for award availability.

Wasn't expecting BNE-LAX to stay and BNE-SFO to remain at 7 days a week into the Australian winter. UA appears to have enough capacity via SYD or MEL (0600 or 0630 out of BNE with VA, connecting) to get to the US West Coast, along with BNE-SFO direct 3 days a week.

 

[HS-TQE]

BNE-SFO is 4x days a week for this NS24 (Au Winter) season on a 789. It was previously x3 weekly on a 788 for NS23.

BNE-LAX (and AKL) getting axed for NW24/25 wasn't too much of a surprise. AKL was a bloodbath last season and UA wasn't able to make LAX-BNE work outside of the Dec/Jan School Holidays in Queensland.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

UA wasn't able to make LAX-BNE work outside of the Dec/Jan School Holidays in Queensland.

That's been a bit of a surprise for mine, considering the horrible timing of QF's offering to LAX, however considering that UA also runs BNE-SFO daily, it would take away the connecting pax who would do BNE-LAX otherwise I guess

 

[ben95]

It’s not a surprise. UA’s load factor on flights to AU/NZ are low according to this source: United Struggles to Fill All Those Seats Down Under – Cranky Flier
There’s a bit of a capacity war going on in this market, possibly because China demand is still weak so those long haul wide-bodies have to go somewhere over the Northern winter season.