N194UA (Old Cabin 747-400) Returns to United Fleet for Charter Flights [2012]
 

It flew into KSFO from ZBAA last night as UAL 8298 after having gone over as GTI 9761 ... maybe got the new interior and headed back into service earlier?

[Moderator's Note] In case anyone ends up flying on this aircraft, here's a link to the seating thread (assuming the seating is the same) - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...iguration.html

It doesn't have the new interior.

The ghetto bird is BACK?

Any idea what it was doing in Beijing for three weeks, and why now it's under a UAL flight plan? Here's a recent photo.

The horror ... the horror.

Once again, I have to stick with 767s when flying paid C. :mad:

Hmm. I've been itching to take another domestic flight, scheduled on a 747, for a while now. ORD-SFO was really great.

Remember when DL had a 747 scheduled for MSP-ATL and folks went out of their way to book it? (And then they swapped the equipment out :( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...4-msp-atl.html)

Does the UA flight number "8298" signify anything special? (Usually UX flight)

Could this be a charter? (Wishful thinking?)

I was thinking the same thing. I can't think of many other UA related reasons to have the bird sitting in HK for 3 weeks.

Maybe we're all up in arms about nothing...

It is not back in service with UA. It is still in Atlas Air colors operating for Atlas Air.

(1) Flightaware has no active flights for this tail number for United in the past 51 weeks.
(2) The aircraft was recently photographed in Beijing on 12/26/2011 in full Atlas Air colors.

Don't panic people...

No it isn't.

Well, it flew a UAL flight yesterday.
At least one of those statements is true :)
Flightaware missed a tail tie-up that originated outside CONUS? I'm *shocked* :)
It was photographed in SFO yesterday with Atlas colors. But: flying a UAL flight.

Well, that's two explicitly vague posts from you in this thread. Feeling good about being such a tease? :)

It wasn't in HKG, it was in Beijing for a heavy maintenance check.

??

The poster said it's operating for Atlas Air, I replied "No it isn't". You think that's vague?

Finger-slip, original post said ZBAA.

You seem to know more about this than you're letting on. I asked earlier if anyone knows why it flew in on a UAL flight number. You count as part of "anyone" :)

This airplane was leased to Atlas and flying in their colors. It is now back to UA and was in Beijing for a C-check, not an heavy check. It flew from PEK to SFO under the 8xxx flight number as a maintenance ferry flight. It was not a revenue flight. It did not get the new interior. Its next flight will be off to paint and back to UA colors. It will be used as a charter aircraft. It is very common for a UA B747 to be flying behind Air Force One when the President is flying, and this airplane would be a perfect choice for that scenario in this election year.

Take a breath, relax, everything will be ok. :cool:

It is? When is the last time that happened?