United Airlines will increase the frequency of its non-stop Chengdu-San Francisco service to daily from June 6 to Sep 1, 2015(eastbound), according to the airline.
United launched the Chengdu-San Francisco non-stop route on June 11 last year, the first non-stop route linking China's central and western region to the United States. It offers three flights to Chengdu every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and from Chengdu every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
"The route has been meeting our expectations since the launch of the Chengdu service, and we have received very positive feedback from our customers both in China and the US," said Jake Cefolia, United's vice president of Atlantic and Pacific Sales.
Cefolia said the non-stop service helps the passengers in western China to go to the United States and Latin America more conveniently, and also shortens the distance between the American tourists and Chengdu, home to giant pandas, delicious food, and rich culture.
"According to our research, summer is the peak season for the Chengdu-San Francisco route, because more tourists and students travels between the two sides. So we decided to add capacity to meet the demand," he said.
United will increase the frequency of the service to daily by adding flights in both directions on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, effective June 6, 2015 (eastbound) and June 4, 2015 (westbound).
Flight UA8 will depart Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport daily at 9:50 a.m. and arrive at San Francisco International Airport at 8:30 a.m. the same day. The return flight, UA9, will depart San Francisco daily at 1:20 p.m. and will arrive in Chengdu at 6:40 p.m. the following day (all times local). Flying times are approximately 13 hours, 40 minutes eastbound and 14 hours, 20 minutes westbound.
The frequency of the Chengdu-San Francisco service will return to three-times-weekly effective Sep 2, 2015 (eastbound).
The service is operated with Boeing 787-8 Dream-liner aircraft, featuring a total of 219 seats – 36 in United Business First and 183 in United Economy, including 70 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space.
The Chengdu flights feature amenities and services suited to Chinese customers, including: Mandarin-speaking flight attendants, personalized in-flight entertainment options that feature Chinese-language services, and a wide selection of in-flight meals and beverages, including Chinese-style cuisine.
"United has timed the Chengdu flights to connect conveniently at San Francisco with an extensive network of service throughout the US, Canada and Latin America," said Cefolia.
Passengers could reach more than 300 destinations in these areas through United's flights.
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