Nov 20, 2016, 11:21 am
Last edit by: Juventini
United to retire 747 by end of 2017
Current scheduled 747 routes
Currently 14 left, retirement plan as follows(updated Aug 2017):
N127UA Owned - Exit 15-Aug-17 Age 18.0
N181UA Lease -01-Nov-17 -Exit 15-Oct-17 Lease return Age 26.0
N117UA Owned - Exit 30-Oct-17 Age 18.8
N174UA Lease- 09-Dec-17 Exit 30-Oct-17 Lease return Age 27.8
N105UA Lease- 09-Dec-17 Exit 01-Nov-17 Lease return Age 23.4
N107UA Lease- 01-Jun-18 Exit 01-Nov-17 Lease return Age 19.2
N175UA Owned - Exit 01-Nov-17 Age 27.2
N116UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 18.9
N118UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 18.7
N128UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 17.5
N119UA Owned - Exit 20-Nov-17 Age 18.7
N121UA Owned - Exit 20-Nov-17 Age 18.6
N178UA Lease - 01-May-18 Exit 20-Nov-17 Lease return Age 27.1
N180UA Owned - 20-Nov-17 Age 26.3
See details at United Fleet Site.
Current scheduled 747 routes
Currently 14 left, retirement plan as follows(updated Aug 2017):
N127UA Owned - Exit 15-Aug-17 Age 18.0
N181UA Lease -01-Nov-17 -Exit 15-Oct-17 Lease return Age 26.0
N117UA Owned - Exit 30-Oct-17 Age 18.8
N174UA Lease- 09-Dec-17 Exit 30-Oct-17 Lease return Age 27.8
N105UA Lease- 09-Dec-17 Exit 01-Nov-17 Lease return Age 23.4
N107UA Lease- 01-Jun-18 Exit 01-Nov-17 Lease return Age 19.2
N175UA Owned - Exit 01-Nov-17 Age 27.2
N116UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 18.9
N118UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 18.7
N128UA Owned - Exit 10-Nov-17 Age 17.5
N119UA Owned - Exit 20-Nov-17 Age 18.7
N121UA Owned - Exit 20-Nov-17 Age 18.6
N178UA Lease - 01-May-18 Exit 20-Nov-17 Lease return Age 27.1
N180UA Owned - 20-Nov-17 Age 26.3
See details at United Fleet Site.
UA to pilots: We're considering retiring all 747s by end of 2018 (Phaseout EOY 2017).
Jul 26, 2017, 7:31 am
#721
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I booked my final 747 flights, got an UD seat but not window but I've been watching the seatmap like a hawk for an opening. Still two weeks out. There's still 4 seats left in F. Hopefully someone upgrades from an UD window seat
Jul 26, 2017, 6:38 pm
#722
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Programs: UA Plat (1mm), Marriott Titanium, HH Gold, Hertz Pres
Posts: 430
I'm on a SFO to PVG flight UD window next month. Looks like my last 747 flight with UA. I decided the extra few hours to fly to SFO instead of a direct from EWR was worth it. I was always excited seeing this big bird and got to meet Joe Sutter in Seattle a few years ago during a Boeing event.
Jul 26, 2017, 8:47 pm
#723
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
^ @:-)
Jul 28, 2017, 9:22 am
#724
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
Currently in the ORD UC and overheard the GA talking about 747 retirements email she just received. So, I asked about it. Today, UA is going to have an Extra Section ORD to SFO flight. Flight 2704 will depart at 18:30 and is the last 747 flight from ORD. UA is planning for a media presence and there might be festivities at C18 tonight. Sad I'll miss this one.
Jul 28, 2017, 11:47 am
#725
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
Currently in the ORD UC and overheard the GA talking about 747 retirements email she just received. So, I asked about it. Today, UA is going to have an Extra Section ORD to SFO flight. Flight 2704 will depart at 18:30 and is the last 747 flight from ORD. UA is planning for a media presence and there might be festivities at C18 tonight. Sad I'll miss this one.
Jul 28, 2017, 11:56 am
#726
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,849
There is much discussion of 28 July 2017, today's one-off 747 flight, UA2704 ORD-SFO in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...7w-thread.html
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 28, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Jul 28, 2017, 2:03 pm
#727
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
Not sure I believe this is the absolute last 747 flight out of ORD. Earlier communication from United that there will be some festivities for the retirements, which I would imagine would include a last 747 appearance / flight from all the hubs...a finale tour if you will.
Jul 28, 2017, 2:27 pm
#728
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
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Posts: 10,159
Jul 28, 2017, 3:15 pm
#729
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Nah...if the demand really comes in a manner that crushes airports to justify the super jumbos it will be 10 years hence. The main value the plane offers is at slot-restricted airports. Airbus predicted many more of those than actually exist today.
Aug 2, 2017, 7:31 pm
#730
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 169
747 Farewell Tour
It was nice of United to schedule a domestic 747 run from ORD to SFO. That said, UAL has promised a farewell worthy of this iconic plane, which implies more than one special flight. I suspect we each have our own final 747 trips planned, but where else and when should United schedule some incremental, final farewell flights? I'll start by suggesting they put one on the SFO to HNL route for at least a month ahead of the retirement. Even though I have a final 747 flight already booked in Global First, I would absolutely do another farewell run, especially if there was a little fun involved. Other ideas?
Last edited by BayAreaTrvler; Aug 2, 2017 at 8:31 pm
Aug 2, 2017, 9:27 pm
#731
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,849
Welcome to FT!, BayAreaTrvler
There has been some ongoing discussion of a farewell tour. Some have reached out to UA with their ideas and many folks have weighted in on their thoughts in this thread and others -- such as http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...47-routes.html
As this is the "retirement thread and most of the discussion has been here, moved your posting into this thread.
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
It was nice of United to schedule a domestic 747 run from ORD to SFO. That said, UAL has promised a farewell worthy of this iconic plane, which implies more than one special flight. I suspect we each have our own final 747 trips planned, but where else and when should United schedule some incremental, final farewell flights? ...
As this is the "retirement thread and most of the discussion has been here, moved your posting into this thread.
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Aug 2, 2017, 10:13 pm
#732
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
So I have two parts: United has made it a bloody awful plane and the sooner it goes the better! There, I said it! Sitting on one of Uniteds? Won't miss that one iota!
But the second part is: the 747 itself I shall miss seeing taxiing, in the skies, taking off and landing, and just generally turning heads. In the absence of Concord it is about the only carrier plane that turns heads now. The A380 does but only because it is as ugly as sin. There is a certain something about the 747 and even its "jumbo" moniker I shall miss!
But the second part is: the 747 itself I shall miss seeing taxiing, in the skies, taking off and landing, and just generally turning heads. In the absence of Concord it is about the only carrier plane that turns heads now. The A380 does but only because it is as ugly as sin. There is a certain something about the 747 and even its "jumbo" moniker I shall miss!
Aug 2, 2017, 10:24 pm
#733
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
So I have two parts: United has made it a bloody awful plane and the sooner it goes the better! There, I said it! Sitting on one of Uniteds? Won't miss that one iota!
But the second part is: the 747 itself I shall miss seeing taxiing, in the skies, taking off and landing, and just generally turning heads. In the absence of Concord it is about the only carrier plane that turns heads now. The A380 does but only because it is as ugly as sin. There is a certain something about the 747 and even its "jumbo" moniker I shall miss!
But the second part is: the 747 itself I shall miss seeing taxiing, in the skies, taking off and landing, and just generally turning heads. In the absence of Concord it is about the only carrier plane that turns heads now. The A380 does but only because it is as ugly as sin. There is a certain something about the 747 and even its "jumbo" moniker I shall miss!
Aug 2, 2017, 11:05 pm
#734
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
But the second part is: the 747 itself I shall miss seeing taxiing, in the skies, taking off and landing, and just generally turning heads. In the absence of Concord it is about the only carrier plane that turns heads now. The A380 does but only because it is as ugly as sin. There is a certain something about the 747 and even its "jumbo" moniker I shall miss!
And don't even get me started on the service .....
77W
You must be flying up front, coach reports have been far less than stellar ....
Aug 2, 2017, 11:45 pm
#735
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
I've been on 5 747s in the last 3 months and I truly don't know what you're talking about. The cabins looked fine. Pre-emptively booking away because the cabins are showing their age? I mean, yeah, ok. I think that's a bit of an overreaction, but hey, your call. LH 748's C seats were more "dirty", from a crumbs perspective at least, than any UA F/C I've been in recently. Also the window shades had broken grips and leaked light...not that it really bothered me. Roll with it and don't worry about what you can't control.
Last edited by tuolumne; Aug 2, 2017 at 11:56 pm