|
United 747 Farewell & Remembrances Master Thread
We are less than three months away from the last scheduled 747 ICN-SFO flight.
United's first 747-100 joined the fleet in June 1970 and Continental's first 747-100 took its flight a month earlier in May 1970. Over the years, other 747s (100, 200 and SP series) also joined the fleets of both airlines from Pan Am, People's Express, and UA took over the two 747-400s that NW decided not to take (N105UA and N106UA). That is an amazing 47+ years of history the 747s have had both both legacy United, legacy Continental and the New United. I think the farewell and retirement of the 747 from United deserve its own thread for all of us to pay tribute to the Queen of Sky. I started flying United's 747 on an ex-Pam 747SP on Oct 11, 1992 (MIA-SFO) and took my first 747-400 fight on the same day on an almost brand aircraft (SFO-HKG). It was my first ever transpacific flight and the longest flight I have taken in my life at the time. Sadly, my last United 747 flight will likely to take place on August 27 (UA 888 SFO-PEK). I will share my United 747 memories in the thread a bit later. I encourage all of you to share your United 747 memories in this thread. Photos, video links are all welcome. I am going to start sharing some of the 747 photos I have taken in the past 10 years. I need to dig into my negative files to find photos from the pre-digital age. I have spoken to a number of UA flight and cabin crews, ground staff, gate agents and customer services staff on the phone since the news of 747 retirement in early 2016. I could sense the emotional attachments they all have on the 747. This thread is not just for us, Flyertalkers, but also for all the UA current and former employees who follow this forum, memories they can treasure and relate to. Good Bye my United Queen of Sky! |
Here is an absolute classic, March 28th 2007:
|
The final tulip livery was the high water mark for the UA747 IMHO. Especially that tail application. And tiny bit of red in the tulip. It truly went from first to worst after that. Great photos above.
in over 250K flown miles on the UA 747 since 1999 (DEL-HKG-SFO as part of RTW 1/2) I had a total of one 90 minute delay and that was a flight where I had been op-upped to IPTE C. Even when flying in E+ I preferentially booked it for my transpacs. Very bittersweet to see it exit service. The new aircraft have buttons and switches but nothing can beat that distinctive rumble on takeoff or cyclic purr during mid transpac cruise. Nothing. And of course my one time in IFC aaaahhhh... |
I took my final 747 flight a couple of days ago PVG-SFO (UD). I have really mixed feelings about United retiring these. In some ways, I feel like a beloved pet or relative has died.
It is a truly iconic aircraft and there is nothing quite like the upper deck experience. But United has really let them go. The interiors are really showing their age and I've found many of the 747 crews are surly and inattentive. (Maybe there is no correlation here, but it's my impression) My one regret is that I never even once flew in 747 GF. 1A/K will go as an unfulfilled bucket list item. Ah well, for now I will be content to fly 773 and the 787 fleet and catch the occasional glimpse of other carriers' 747s. They were always better to look at from the outside anyway. To paraphrase a Ronald Reagan quote, "There's nothing as good for the inside of a man as the outside of a 747." Goodbye. |
Here are a number of TV commercials which featured the United 747
Business as Usual Chicago Hometown Airlines Whales Across the Pacific's To the US and Throughout the US London Transpacific Services 747 to Hawaii |
I've never flown a 747, and would like to before all are retired. Any suggestions for a route that is not super long-distance, and goes somewhere cool to visit?
|
Had one ride on 747. It was an equipment swap from a 757 ORD-DEN. Guessing equipment repostioning. Can't remember year but when they were battleship grey.
Remember had originally upgraded with the 500 mile paper certs. on 757. When they swap planes ended up with UD seat. (back then they were not lie-flat but cool anyway) Before the meal they had these hot candied walnuts. Only time I have every had them. On all other planes was always just hot mixed nuts. |
As a kid in the UK always looked forward to flying a "jumbo" on BA back when they were the backbone of the TATL fleet. More recently, I was booked in XN on a 744 flying LHR-SFO. Saw O open, thought "what the hell", and forked out 50k more miles for 1A. Still my favourite flight of all time peering out the (forward) window and enjoying the space in GF.
That said, for a "working" flight there's nothing better than UD in J. So smooth I once didn't realise we'd taken off, and forgot altogether that there was a giant plane below us until it came time to get off. Have one last run on the UD tomorrow on SFO-FRA. Hope the crew will make it one to remember. :) |
Originally Posted by physioprof
(Post 28681826)
I've never flown a 747, and would like to before all are retired. Any suggestions for a route that is not super long-distance, and goes somewhere cool to visit?
Sadly I think your best bet for a United 747 experience at this point is SFO-ICN (lots of award and upgrade space in all cabins). Coming to the same conclusion, we're dong a 1A/K run in a few weeks to ICN. |
I'm planning to fly my first and only United 747 flight from SFO-ICN on an award ticket in two weeks and heading straight back after a day in Seoul on a half mileage run-half life goal achievement. Booked an upper deck seat and I hope that it'll live up to all the hype and that the crew will make it even better. On the way back, I'll also be taking the closing ICN-NRT flight on the way back home.
I'll probably post some pics up of my experience once I get back. |
My first UA 747 flight was SFO-LAX, believe it or not, on a PA 74L in the early 80s. I think we paid $39 and somehow got upgraded to C without asking. Of course, back then I had no idea what was what class but I knew it was a 747 SP. I probably still have the boarding pass somewhere.
I was hoping for a final flight in September but my route already converted to a 77W :D So, my last UA 747 flight was in February 2017. |
If UAL is listening they should literally have a farewell tour ex-USA airports!
|
Originally Posted by physioprof
(Post 28681826)
I've never flown a 747, and would like to before all are retired. Any suggestions for a route that is not super long-distance, and goes somewhere cool to visit?
|
And I was on a UA 744 out of NRT when we got hit by lightning. My only time. We continued to SFO.
Then the only time I did F on UA was TPAC award and had an 15+ hour MX at NRT. They gave me half of the miles back :D |
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:41 am. |
This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.