United 747 Farewell & Remembrances Master Thread
Nov 7, 2017, 3:19 pm
#541
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: MileagePlus
Posts: 142
My first time on the United 747 was in 2003 on the NRT-BKK-NRT leg of my journey.
Here is my favorite Bangkok departure from 2011. I flew the NRT-BKK-NRT leg twice that year myself. Good times...
Pilot says, "838s rolling."
Here is my favorite Bangkok departure from 2011. I flew the NRT-BKK-NRT leg twice that year myself. Good times...
Pilot says, "838s rolling."
Nov 7, 2017, 8:47 pm
#543
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
We pushed back on time this morning in San Francisco but took off exactly 60 minutes late thanks to an AC related mechanical issue.
Internet didn't work properly for most of the flight so I couldn't update easily.
United went all out on this and truly gave the Queen of the Skies a royal sendoff.
The service was Royal Hawaiian based but given that the service items were new to the crew and the crew hadn't worked on a 747 in years, it was slow but we didn't mind.
The crew incidentally was magnificent.
A bunch of photos from today's flight are here, which also includes an interview with a FlyerTalker, and I'll try to upload some here directly later once I get settled.
Photo Essay: United Airlines’ Final Boeing 747 Flight Gives the Queen of the Skies a Royal Sendoff
History in the Making: United Airlines Final Boeing 747 Flight Takes Off
San Francisco-Honolulu Flight Recreates the Airline’s Original Jumbo Jet Service
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This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.”
Internet didn't work properly for most of the flight so I couldn't update easily.
United went all out on this and truly gave the Queen of the Skies a royal sendoff.
The service was Royal Hawaiian based but given that the service items were new to the crew and the crew hadn't worked on a 747 in years, it was slow but we didn't mind.
The crew incidentally was magnificent.
A bunch of photos from today's flight are here, which also includes an interview with a FlyerTalker, and I'll try to upload some here directly later once I get settled.
Photo Essay: United Airlines’ Final Boeing 747 Flight Gives the Queen of the Skies a Royal Sendoff
History in the Making: United Airlines Final Boeing 747 Flight Takes Off
San Francisco-Honolulu Flight Recreates the Airline’s Original Jumbo Jet Service
SOMEWHERE OVER THE PACIFIC—Since its launch in 1970, over 1,500 Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets have graced the skies. Today, November 7, 2017, United Airlines, one of the two remaining U.S. carriers flying the graceful airliner, operated its final 747 flight, from San Francisco to Honolulu, recreating its inaugural 747 flight over the same route on July 23, 1970. This report is being published live from onboard the final flight.
“Flying to Hawaii on United’s 747 can be a real adventure,” United promised passengers in a television commercial introducing the Jumbo Jet in 1970....
<SNIP>
“Flying to Hawaii on United’s 747 can be a real adventure,” United promised passengers in a television commercial introducing the Jumbo Jet in 1970....
<SNIP>
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This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.”
Last edited by jspira; Nov 13, 2017 at 2:04 pm
Nov 13, 2017, 2:01 pm
#544
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Lovely Tahoe City
Programs: UA 1mm Gold. Former 1K and GS.
Posts: 951
And it's complete.
Final flight out of SFO just landed TUPelo a short bit ago.
N121UA off for scrapping. Very last 747 flight with a UA flight number.
Teary eyes.
Final flight out of SFO just landed TUPelo a short bit ago.
N121UA off for scrapping. Very last 747 flight with a UA flight number.
Teary eyes.
Nov 13, 2017, 6:07 pm
#545
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,603
Saw some photos from the ground in TUP. The final 747 was prked next to a 747 which was already missing a large portion of the hull. End of an era
Nov 13, 2017, 7:01 pm
#546
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
+1. I followed it and listened to the ATC the whole way.Where did you see pics from TUP? Please post or share link.
Nov 13, 2017, 7:26 pm
#547
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
Pictures in the fabulous "Save the United Airlines Tulip" group on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1203...0631045623085/
Over the years, the user numbers and participation rate for this group has skyrocketed. United, are you listening?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1203...0631045623085/
Over the years, the user numbers and participation rate for this group has skyrocketed. United, are you listening?
Nov 15, 2017, 6:29 pm
#548
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
In reading the 747 farewell article tonight in Hemispheres, I realized that the story of someone's engagement on a 747 was a name I recognized from FT. Nice story Mr. Yalowitz! And I think that means you win the sign-in game for the entire month, since you are in every magazine
Nov 17, 2017, 7:59 am
#549
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SEA, WAS, PEK
Programs: UA 3K UGS 3MM
Posts: 2,176
In reading the 747 farewell article tonight in Hemispheres, I realized that the story of someone's engagement on a 747 was a name I recognized from FT. Nice story Mr. Yalowitz! And I think that means you win the sign-in game for the entire month, since you are in every magazine
The irony of the whole thing is that our 747 engagement was actually on N118UA. I/we'd been trying to get back on that plane for the past 4 years...unsuccessfully. Crazy that it ended up being UA747, and very glad my paid waitlist for that flight cleared! Amazing time.
Nov 18, 2017, 8:29 pm
#550
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: San Diego
Programs: United 3MM, 1K, Hyatt Globalist Lifetime
Posts: 32
Flew countless SFO / LAX to NRT 747 segments between '94 and '03 back when my employer paid for Business and United frequently comp'ed upgrades. I was a 1K or GS for 10 consecutive years in those days. Got comped to FC so often I became a bit jaded: 7 consecutive FC trans-Pacs at one point. One of my favorite flights was one from SFO to NRT with the FC cabin full of new Japanese flight attendants freshly graduated from United's Chicago FA school. We partied half the way to Narita drinking Dom. The new Japanese FA sitting next to me told me the only things they couldn't comp to an FC passenger were caviar and Dom. I mentioned this to the working FAs and by the time we landed had two bottles of Dom at my feet under the seat in front of me...
Another memorable flight was out of Osaka. I intentionally upgraded to FC on that one since I had to land and immediately attend meetings, and wanted to sleep immediately on takeoff. After boarding I found I was the only passenger in FC. I told the FA I didn't want dinner and just wanted to sleep - would eat later in the flight. Another FA soon approached and told me that was unacceptable (jokingly) since she was the FC chef and I was her only customer. She charmingly convinced me to stay up long enough for a glass of wine and the salad.
I could go on... I lost track of the number of 747 trans pac flights I was on after about 200.
I'll miss the quiet upper deck, but I'll also miss those EC exit row window seats with the bulge in the door and howling wind. :-) I won't miss those crappy business class seats. What a great plane.
Good times.
Anyone bidding on the memorabilia? Or is there another thread for that?
Another memorable flight was out of Osaka. I intentionally upgraded to FC on that one since I had to land and immediately attend meetings, and wanted to sleep immediately on takeoff. After boarding I found I was the only passenger in FC. I told the FA I didn't want dinner and just wanted to sleep - would eat later in the flight. Another FA soon approached and told me that was unacceptable (jokingly) since she was the FC chef and I was her only customer. She charmingly convinced me to stay up long enough for a glass of wine and the salad.
I could go on... I lost track of the number of 747 trans pac flights I was on after about 200.
I'll miss the quiet upper deck, but I'll also miss those EC exit row window seats with the bulge in the door and howling wind. :-) I won't miss those crappy business class seats. What a great plane.
Good times.
Anyone bidding on the memorabilia? Or is there another thread for that?
Nov 18, 2017, 8:39 pm
#551
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
Nov 19, 2017, 8:47 pm
#552
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 65
Flying into ORD this afternoon, I saw a BA 747 approaching just below us and to the right. Then we taxied past a LH 747 parked at the B gates. Beautiful birds. I'm glad they're still flying, even if not on UA.
Nov 20, 2017, 7:49 am
#553
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
This may very well be the last ever flight review to have been written about a United 747 flight to be published in a magazine or newspaper. It was a pleasure sharing the UA747 experience with many FlyerTalkers, UA employees, Pan Am employees, avgeeks, and others and United really did pull out all the stops to bring back the 70s experience (with the exception of smoking on board).
United Airlines ‘Royal Hawaiian’ Friend Ship Final 747 Flight – San Francisco-Honolulu – Review
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This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.”
United Airlines ‘Royal Hawaiian’ Friend Ship Final 747 Flight – San Francisco-Honolulu – Review
United Airlines’ final Boeing 747 flight was to be very much like its first. On July 23, 1970, a Boeing 747-100, the Friend Ship, left San Francisco destined for Honolulu, offering the airline’s vaunted Royal Hawaiian service on board.
Although Flight 747 was scheduled to depart at 11 a.m. local time, I had to get up early to prepare. In addition to United’s plans to recreate 1970s menus and uniforms, most passengers were planning to wear clothing reminiscent of that era and festivities were planned at the gate. I was fortunate that my friend Laurie Haspel, president of Haspel Clothing, outfitted me with a Hawaiian style floral shirt and decade appropriate seersucker slacks.
By the time I arrived at the gate, 8 a.m., three hours prior to departure, the party had already started and it was like walking into a time capsule complete with leisure suits, overabundance of polyester, and big hair. Passengers on the flight included one gentleman who had been on the first ever 747 flight in 1970, which was operated by launch customer Pan Am; the woman who had trained the flight attendants who worked the first United 747 flight; and a couple that had become engaged on the very same 747 a few years ago...
<SNIP>
...
Although Flight 747 was scheduled to depart at 11 a.m. local time, I had to get up early to prepare. In addition to United’s plans to recreate 1970s menus and uniforms, most passengers were planning to wear clothing reminiscent of that era and festivities were planned at the gate. I was fortunate that my friend Laurie Haspel, president of Haspel Clothing, outfitted me with a Hawaiian style floral shirt and decade appropriate seersucker slacks.
By the time I arrived at the gate, 8 a.m., three hours prior to departure, the party had already started and it was like walking into a time capsule complete with leisure suits, overabundance of polyester, and big hair. Passengers on the flight included one gentleman who had been on the first ever 747 flight in 1970, which was operated by launch customer Pan Am; the woman who had trained the flight attendants who worked the first United 747 flight; and a couple that had become engaged on the very same 747 a few years ago...
<SNIP>
...
.
.
This link is to an online source to which I contribute and/or have a financial interest.”
Nov 20, 2017, 1:11 pm
#554
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
So who has all the trading cards collected? I'm glad I have the pmUA rising blue card. The colors look far more modern than the "current" globe card, even when they're used in what should be the "current" UA brand conventions (solid horizontal lines)
Nov 20, 2017, 2:31 pm
#555
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232