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| Airline schedules change regularly |
| This information is intended as a guide, but for up to the minute timetables, please consult United at united.com |
Back in the days of ancient history - or rather a year or two back - when United and Continental were two different airlines, United would fly out of London Heathrow, and Continential would operate out of London Gatwick. Now things are very different, with the airline being one, and a big merger of schedules.
From London LHR there are 12 flights a day, either nominally operated by old United (ex UA) or Continental (ex CO) metal. There is a huge rush westwards by United flights at 2.35pm and 4.35pm - watch them all rack up on the runway. To New York Newark (ERW) from London Heathrow there are five flights a day, however only one is operated by a 777 - at 1025. All the others are a 757, at 0840, 1115, 1235, and 1800 (arriving at 2130) (ex CO).
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To New York JFK from London all United flights have been cancelled, and in effect United have handed the route on a plate to BA, although United will still sell you a Virgin Atlantic codeshare to JFK.
Washington is equally a mixed bag. There are three flights a day, at 0740 (on a dreadful 767), 1200 (777), and 1620 (777) (ex UA).
To Houston, there are two flights, both operated by 777s, at 0920 and 1140 (ex CO). While to San Fransico there is the sole 747 flight (ex UA) at 1335: alas the second flight of the day (a 777) has been axed. Los Angeles has one flight a day at 1030 777 (ex UA). There is also a Virgin Atlantic codeshare.
There are three flights a day to Chicago ORD, however all of them have had the good 777 service dropped for a dreadful 767, at 1005, 1205 and 1525.
All services from London Gatwick have been dropped.
There are also flights to other parts of Europe, with Chicago to Amsterdam on a poor 767-300 at 1800 (arriving 0920, ex UA), Brussels at 1800 (767 - ex UA), Paris at 1820 (767 - ex UA), Tokyo at 1200 on a 747 (ex UA). Chicago also adds Sao Paulo at 2130 (777 ex UA), Hong Kong at 1305 (747, ex UA).
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Washington (IAD) is very busy, particularly in the early evening, with flights to Amsterdam at 1745 (757, ex CO), two a day to Paris at 1710 and 2200 (both 757 ex CO), Brussels at 1750 (777 ex UA), an amazing four a day to Frankfurt (plus a Lufthansa code share) at 1715 (777), 1905 (767), 1725 (777) and 2145 (777) - all ex UA, Munich at 1730 (777 ex UA), Geneva at 1735 (767 ex UA), Rome at 1700 (767 ex UA), to Buernos Aires at 2205 (767, ex UA).
Sao Paulo at 2215 (777 ex UA), Tokyo at 1220 (UA 777) and Zurich at 1745 (UA 767), and a very bizare longhaul to Kuwait on a 777 at 1800 (ex UA).
Onwards from the US, Sydney gets 2 flights a day from the US. Both follow a complicated two stage routing. From Los Angeles a 747 (ex UA) leaves at 2215, arriving in Sydney at 0750 (two days later), and then going on to Melbourne. Meanwhile from San Fancisco there is another 747, leaving at 2230 and arriving at 0810 (two days later). This famous flight was for a long time the longest non-stop flight in the world. It was, and alas still is, notorious for offering the worst in class service and the poorest amenities of accross the Pacific in all three classes. All flights from Honolulu to Auckland in New Zealand were cancelled following the United Airlines Flight 811 disaster, when it experienced a cargo door failure, but Continental, and now United, are once again planning 787 services in the near future.
There are also daily flights from San Francisco to Tokyo at 1120 (747 arriving 1525+1 (This then goes onto Bangkok arriving 2325+1)) and at 1300 (747 arriving 1705+1). To Bejing at 1355 (747 arriving 1755+1). Seoul at 1205 (777 arriving 1755+1). And to Hong Kong at 1220 (747 arriving 1905+1 (This then goes onto Singapore arriving 2350+1)).
Domestically, there is an intense network of services. United flights between New York (JFK), San Franciso and Los Angeles are called PS (Premium Service) flights. Here, the planes fly as true three class planes, with First, Business and Economy, with 6 flights a day.