The simple fact is that fares out of the "Land of the Wrong White Crowd" are based on the NZ dollar - just as US fares are based in USDs. The fares are very comparable in actual dollar value from either end - ie: a passenger departing NZ for the US may pay NZD2000 for his fare when a similar passenger departing the UD would be up for USD2000. That is over simplified but very close to the core. The yield just isnt there, and the higher yield business traffic is simply not New Zealands forte.
Great vacation destination, but the holidaymaker is not looking for a big price airfare.
If UA is serious about trading out of chapter 11, then this move makes a great deal of sense.
As for Continental coming back - ohhhhh Buster - give us all a break!! The last time they were operating the big old 3 holer into Aus they were running on dead reckoning navigation as all their INS systems had been removed and sold off.
I adore the DC10, the best wide body ever created, but even Garuda has to be a step up.
Best all
EWL
