PHL? Are you kidding? They don't even know where those two destinations are.
The decision to go non-stop to DXB is a great move by UAL and one that had been looked at for some time. They'd been looking at it since the decision to go to KWI back in October 2006. At the time there was discussion regarding tag flying to DXB but the decision to go non-stop from IAD with the benefits of that hub/Capital City had much more appeal and revenue potential.
Good sound business decision by UAL. At least the people in Int'l Marketing have kept their eye on the job of filling out a sound route structure. Kudo's to them. Well done.
Cheers,
Z B)