United Angles for Extra Cape Town Service

Last week Delta Air Lines asked the DOT to grant it flexibility in operations to South Africa. This week United Airlines followed suit.

The two airlines are the only US carriers flying to South Africa and their prior battles over route authorities between the two countries were notable. After a bit of regulatory bickering in 2022 both airlines ultimately secured increased services. Had United objected to Delta’s request here it could have launched a similar regulatory spat.

Instead, however, United seeks to emulate Delta’s request, and also to increase other flexibility on its operations to South Africa, bringing it in line with Delta’s authorities.

---

---

United’s main ask is to have one of its seven Newark-Johannesburg authorities become year-round flexible, meaning it would serve JNB 6x weekly and Cape Town (CPT) 4x weekly from Newark in the peak Southern Summer season. United’s 3x weekly service from Dulles to Cape Town would not change.

Beyond that, however, United also requests that it be permitted to operate its Johannesburg route via Cape Town on the return, something it calls the “Newark-South Africa wrap routing” but which typically is referred to as a triangle route. Delta already has that access, though it was initially rejected by the South African government. United notes that this option would “allow United to better manage days when Johannesburg operating conditions (hot, dry air at high altitude) require held seats operating from Johannesburg to Newark.”

---

---

United also reiterates its position that, while it supports this version of flexibility, it remains opposed to any flexibility on the US side of route authorizations. “A carrier who wants to move limited-entry route rights from one U.S. point to another U.S. point,” United argues, “must file an application with the Department and afford the Department an opportunity to institute a carrier selection proceeding to consider other uses for that limited-entry route right.”

---

With United amenable to the request it is likely both will be approved. Had United objected it could have create more drama, but this makes far more sense for both airlines.

Read More:

• Delta Seeks South Africa Service Shift
• Delta, United both win access to serve Cape Town this winter
• South Africa rejects Delta’s Cape Town plans
• United announces new long-haul routes for 2021