United Airlines to launch Melbourne-San Francisco flights
By David Flynn, December 13 2018
United Airlines will begin direct flights between Melbourne and San Francisco in October 2019, mirroring the Star Alliance's popular Sydney-San Francisco service.
The move will pit United's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner against that of Qantas on the same route, with the United Dreamliners expected to soon be upgraded with the airline's Polaris business class seat – taking the inflight experience on the 14 hour journey from this...
... to this.
Melbourne-San Francisco flights will begin October 29, 2019 and run three days each week.
Flight UA61 will depart Melbourne at 11.40am every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, to reach San Francisco at 6.50am that same day.
On the return leg – after business class passengers have enjoyed a spell in the Polaris San Francisco lounge (below) – flight UA60 will be wheels-up at 10.50pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving into Melbourne two days later at 9.40am.
In related news, United will also extend its current seasonal 777-200ER service between Auckland and San Francisco to operate all year round as of March 30, 2019.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
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I'm a little bit surprised that UA didn't launch the MEL-SFO new service on the 3 days that QF don't operate the route (MON, TUE, FRI), which would have provided MEL a daily service on this route. As it stands, UA will have the route to themselves on MON, but will go up directly against QF on THU and SAT.
I can understand the desire to compete with QF on SAT where both companies try to secure both corporate and leisure travel out of MEL but THU seems a bit contentious to me. One would have to think that demand on a FRI - with no competition) would have been preferable? Perhaps UA has factored in feed from BNE on these days?
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Also the Auckland service is a B777-300er with the new seats
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Also to add UA would have no connections on the BNE end unless if UA is able to sort out an interline deal with QF (like they do at SYD/MEL).
I would guess that UA entering the BNE-LAX route would be very well down the list of 'priorities'.
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