United Airlines Pulls Down International Capacity Throughout 2022

United Airlines has pulled down several international routes as travel restrictions, and low demand continue to impact the travel landscape. Ranging from some cuts in Central America and the Caribbean to unsurprising reductions in flights across the Pacific, the cuts come as the airline manages its network coming out of the crisis and points its planes where it believes revenue will follow.

United has brought down some international routes. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

United Airlines makes international cuts

Schedules loaded in Cirium and confirmed on the airline’s website show cuts to the following international routes:

• Denver (DEN) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) resumption delayed until March 26th
• Honolulu (HNL) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) resumption delayed until March 26th
• Houston (IAH) to Amsterdam (AMS) cut until March 26th
• Houston (IAH) to Havana (HAV) cut through October
• Houston (IAH) to Managua (MGA) cut until September
• Houston (IAH) to Munich (MUC) delayed until March 26th
• Los Angeles (LAX) to London-Heathrow (LHR) resumption delayed until March 26th
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne (MEL) resumption delayed until March 26th
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) delayed until March 26th
• Newark (EWR) to Stockholm (ARN) start date delayed to May 26th
• Newark (EWR) to Havana (HAV) cut through October
• Newark (EWR) to Hong Kong (HKG) cut until the end of May
• Newark (EWR) to Lima (LIM) cut through October
• Newark (EWR) to Munich (MUC) delayed until March 26th
• Newark (EWR) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) delayed until March 26th
• San Francisco (SFO) to Auckland (AKL) cut until July
• San Francisco (SFO) to Melbourne (MEL) resumption delayed to March 26th
• San Francisco (SFO) to Hong Kong (HKG) cut until the end of May
• San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) delayed until March 26th

These are the routes United has cut. However, it has made targeted reductions on other routes. This mainly includes frequency cuts and aircraft downgauges. This mainly impacts operations in March to a wide variety of destinations.

The biggest cuts are to markets that have significant restrictions up, like Hong Kong and New Zealand. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

What to make of the cuts

Many of these cuts are not surprising. Markets like Auckland, Melbourne, Tokyo, and Hong Kong have not announced plans to reopen for foreign tourists, which is the primary driver of demand on these routes. Some of the service resumption dates are more optimistic, though United can pull down capacity if travel restrictions remain.

United is mostly optimistic about the summer, especially across the Atlantic to Europe. Speaking on the airline’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella told investors that the airline was “booked ahead from a passenger and revenue perspective” in the European market for travel from March onwards.

United noted some short-term demand softness but relatively strong bookings for travel from March onwards. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The one caveat remains that Omicron caused some near-term volatility in bookings. This primarily impacted January and February, which are typically slower travel months for international travel to places like Europe. However, United has indicated that things look better from March and beyond, hence some of the reductions until nearing into the summer.

A small dip as United expects strong summer

The cuts in capacity impact a relatively small percentage of a couple of points of capacity through the summer. Notably, United has made no cuts on routes that it announced in October. In addition, it is making relatively few long-term cuts, including to markets like China.

According to data from Cirium, comparing data from May 1st, 2022 through August 31st, 2022 to the same time period in 2019, United is flying a significantly larger schedule across the Atlantic Ocean. This includes a nearly 14% increase in capacity measured in available seat miles (ASMs).

United Airlines is also keeping its grounded Boeing 777-200s in mind as it looks to ramp up capacity in a disciplined manner. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Ultimately, the cuts are more resembling some softness in travel demand through March. However, United is keeping much of its summer schedule intact for destinations that are open, while making some other targeted reductions. In total, the airline remains optimistic on its international positioning and is keeping its network as intact as possible.

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