United 747 Farewell & Remembrances Master Thread
Aug 26, 2017, 5:28 pm
#166
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
ORD-PEK and PVG-SFO in 2006 - Had no idea that would be my first and last ride on the Queen. As a broke college kid, even middle/aisle in steerage was majestic!
Aug 26, 2017, 6:14 pm
#167
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SJC
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,117
I first flew UA 747-400 SFO-HKG UA805 on Aug 16th 1990.
My first UA 747 was NRT-HNL UA830 on Jul 26th 1990. Not sure whether that flight was a 747-100 or 200. Does anyone know? Service was very good and it left me a very positive impression of the airline. I still have the kids activity book I received that flight.
I had my first 747 upper deck experience also on UA 747-400 back in 2008. It was memorable.
My first UA 747 was NRT-HNL UA830 on Jul 26th 1990. Not sure whether that flight was a 747-100 or 200. Does anyone know? Service was very good and it left me a very positive impression of the airline. I still have the kids activity book I received that flight.
I had my first 747 upper deck experience also on UA 747-400 back in 2008. It was memorable.
Aug 26, 2017, 6:18 pm
#168
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 721
The 8xx and 9xx system was great to identify TATL vs TPAC international routes, and good for multiple frequency routes i.e. LHR-ORD was 929, 949, 959
PMUA had too many routes for a 2 digit numbering system for its international network anyways. The 3 digit system actually worked very well for many routes i.e. 1xx was often ORD-west coast and vv, 5xx for routes including ORD-DCA, 7xx to ORD-NYC, etc.
PMUA had too many routes for a 2 digit numbering system for its international network anyways. The 3 digit system actually worked very well for many routes i.e. 1xx was often ORD-west coast and vv, 5xx for routes including ORD-DCA, 7xx to ORD-NYC, etc.
Aug 27, 2017, 1:37 am
#169
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K/AS 100K …Bonvoy Titanium..Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 1,115
I just flew UA on their SFO-PVG route and next week will be my last UA 744 flight from PEK-SFO.
Aug 27, 2017, 11:53 am
#170
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 270
Maybe a dozen tpacs on 747 in last 5yrs and all pretty normal but most memorable was 1st family trip to asia..2nites beijing, 3nites tokyo then home...daughter was 12 and son 16--figured they were the right age to finally "get" international travel. Sat upper on sfo/pek...as captain went to cockpit he stopped, looked at us, and turned around and went back to FA. A minute later the purser came up to us and said "mr/mrs ----, thank u for being globals....but the captain is wondering why your family is traveling to beijing..."
odd, but humorous. That was maybe 2yrs ago and we've done 6-7 similar trips as a family since then, with my daughter pushing for us to move to taipei and my son deciding to do his college work in Shanghai starting this yr. given choice of 787 or 747, they pick 15ab/jk every time
odd, but humorous. That was maybe 2yrs ago and we've done 6-7 similar trips as a family since then, with my daughter pushing for us to move to taipei and my son deciding to do his college work in Shanghai starting this yr. given choice of 787 or 747, they pick 15ab/jk every time
Aug 27, 2017, 12:53 pm
#171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ORD, HKG
Programs: UA*G, AA Emerald, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 10,272
UA 804 is still being in use for NRT-IAD currently.
Aug 27, 2017, 1:21 pm
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ORD, HKG
Programs: UA*G, AA Emerald, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 10,272
It is only until UA bought PA‘s TPAC routes, then most UA routes used to exact same numbers as PA, like PA 800/801 JFK-NRT-HKG, then become UA 800/801 on the exact same routing, others like PA 815/816 LAX-SYD went the same way become UA 815/816, or PA 805/806 SFO-HKG become UA 805/806. All these 3 routes were using the SP even after UA bought them til the 744 arrived.
Last edited by ORDnHKG; Aug 27, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Aug 27, 2017, 5:22 pm
#173
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,939
Not sure I got the reference ... what does that mean/imply?
Sat upper on sfo/pek...as captain went to cockpit he stopped, looked at us, and turned around and went back to FA. A minute later the purser came up to us and said "mr/mrs ----, thank u for being globals....but the captain is wondering why your family is traveling to beijing..."
Aug 27, 2017, 9:10 pm
#174
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 270
we never really understood why captain wanted to know why we were traveling to beijing as a family....nor did it make sense that he asked an FA and not just us. we assumed he was just confused that over a spring break that we were headed to beijing over hawaii perhaps.
Aug 28, 2017, 6:32 am
#176
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Speaking of IAD, I did see a UA 747 parked out by the tower there yesterday morning. Does it just hang there for emergency use?
Aug 28, 2017, 8:23 am
#179
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt GLOB, Marriott Lifetime PLT, UA 1K 1MM.
Posts: 1,728
i remember flying my first 747 back when i was a kid back in the 80's. it was on korean airlines on my trips when my parents took me to visit home. it's still one of my first memories, and i fell in love with that plane and it's what made me fall in love with flying.
throughout the 90's, when i grew up in korea, i flew frequently to north america and europe on 747s as well. side note, i also do remember flying on the 777 when it was first introduced. also a great plane, i always go for that as a second choice.
i still go to ICN once every so often, and always make a point to catch the 744 via SFO when i can. the upper deck is always a solid ride.
i'll miss the 747. i guess i'll be flying more LH on their 748 when flying to FRA to make up for the 744 withdrawal i'll get from my TPAC flights!
throughout the 90's, when i grew up in korea, i flew frequently to north america and europe on 747s as well. side note, i also do remember flying on the 777 when it was first introduced. also a great plane, i always go for that as a second choice.
i still go to ICN once every so often, and always make a point to catch the 744 via SFO when i can. the upper deck is always a solid ride.
i'll miss the 747. i guess i'll be flying more LH on their 748 when flying to FRA to make up for the 744 withdrawal i'll get from my TPAC flights!
Aug 28, 2017, 8:56 am
#180
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,147
Just got off UA926 SFO-FRA. Managed to score an upper-deck seat at the gate. Probably the last flight I'll have on this, but who knows...
No idea how many flights I've taken on them over the years, but between UA863/870 (SFO-SYD) and UA900/901 (SFO-FRA, before they renumbered them) alone it's got to be many, many dozens of flights.
Plus of course the good old 6am SFO-ORD flight which for some time was a 747-400 - normally with the old recliner seats, but occasionally they'd sub in one with lie-flat...
No idea how many flights I've taken on them over the years, but between UA863/870 (SFO-SYD) and UA900/901 (SFO-FRA, before they renumbered them) alone it's got to be many, many dozens of flights.
Plus of course the good old 6am SFO-ORD flight which for some time was a 747-400 - normally with the old recliner seats, but occasionally they'd sub in one with lie-flat...