Reopening: Overseas Flights Returning To San Francisco International Airport
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- After months of being nearly a ghost town, the travel pace was picking up at San Francisco International Airport Friday as flights for foreign destinations were restarting after their COVID-19 slumber.
Among the major reopenings, was an announcement by United Airlines that it would be restarting its twice weekly flights to Shanghai's Pudong International Airport via Seoul's Incheon International Airport on July 8.
United will operate service with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from San Francisco to Shanghai on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Customers traveling from Shanghai will return to San Francisco on Thursdays and Sundays.
"United's service to mainland China has been a point of pride for our employees and customers for more than 30 years," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network and Alliances, in a release. "Resuming service to Shanghai from the United States is a significant step in rebuilding our international network."
Prior to suspending service to Shanghai in February due to COVID-19, United was the largest U.S. carrier serving China and operated five daily flights between Shanghai and its hubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York/Newark.
SFO PIO Doug Yakel said other international carriers have either already restarted flights out of San Francisco or will soon be offering those travel services.
- June 4
- China Airlines resumed passenger flights to Taipei, operating one passenger flight per week.
- United Airlines resumed passenger flights to Frankfurt, operating three flights per week June 8th
- British Airways resumed daily passenger flights to London June 11th
- Philippine Airlines resumed flights to Manila, with plans for two flights per week June 21st
- Cathay Pacific resumed passenger flights to Hong Kong, with plans for three passenger flights per week June 23rd
- Lufthansa resumed flights to Munich, with plans for three flights per week