kodyandgracie

First trip to SYD after the ground stop lifted. Flight was jammed with tired folks trying to get home. The return had only about 20 passengers who were all moved up front or upstairs. It was sad, weird, and familiar all at the same time. It was my first two flights on the 747 in C but we were all sad, especially the crew.

I like the 747 and am sorry to see it and first class go.

mike1968

The UA 747 will definitely be missed. I have taken 44 UA 747-400 flights for about 200k miles.

First one was Jan 1991 LAX-SYD and the tags round trip to MEL. Most of my flights involved 881/882 + 883 (no 884) connecting to NRT/BKK // previously DMK 890/891 // 837/838 & 875/876...working backwards. I've also done Europe flights from ORD (940 to FRA; 938 LHR) and 895 ORD/HKG/SIN + a HKG-SFO that was part of my round the world UA flight. Shortest flight was a 976 to IAD.

All time shortest was a UA credit, but flown by KLM after UA cancelled an EZE-MVD tag and put everyone on the KLM 747-400 for the 142 mile hop. I think I've been on all the 747 variants including the -SP (same trip with the KLM sub), the -100 and -200.

While not luxury beds in either class the OP config is still my favorite.

Are they going to do any domestic final runs...or they are all limited to SFO international?

WineCountryUA

There has been some FT hopefully speculation (bolstered by a statement by Kirby on doing the retirement right and an interesting survey some received)
more in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...oy-2017-a.html

BUT no public announcements yet. Many are still waiting.

mike1968

875/876 was the flight # in the 1990s and at least year 2000 for the NRT-BKK 747-400...it may have been that part of the trip if 875 was always NRT-SEA. The BKK switch to 837/838 happened somewhere in the early 2000s (gotta love FlightMemory and OCDs that track this stuff...although some of my flight numbers are incomplete )

UA_Flyer

Seat 16H and 17H are the best seats on the 747-100.

cranky1K

Interesting, the Fall 2017 "Miles Ahead" Chase cardmember newsletter has a story on the 747 retirement. It includes a list of the remaining destinations from SFO for those wanting to fly the 747 one more time: PEK, PVG, LHR, FRA and ICN, with the caveat "Schedules are subject to change."

ORDnHKG

There was at time 890 pair with 891, and it wasn't always LAX-NRT-SIN, i know it because it was used LAX-NRT-HKG.

After the cancellation of UA 800/801 JFK-NRT-HKG, the NRT-HKG had used various flight numbers 890/891, 890/897, 826/827 (826/827 was HNL-NRT-HKG for a short time, HNL-NRT wasn't always UA 879/880), to even 852/853 (SFO-NRT-HKG)

Ever remember 828/829 being used as the second ORD-HKG flight 3 times a week ?

ORDnHKG

UA 863/870 was SFO-SYD, originally was ORD-SFO-SYD, then later years moved to JFK-SFO-SYD.

The reverse numbers are UA 862/869 for SFO-HKG-SIN, originally UA 805/806.

Long time numbers LAX-SYD UA 815/816 did not retained.

When UA 875/876 started, it was originally a 744, the route started before 777 arrives, it wasn't an inherited PA route, rather an original UA route went back to 1983.

ORDnHKG

Yes there was UA 884, 884 pair up with 883 for ORD-NRT, originally there was only 1 flight a day for ORD-NRT and it was UA 883/884.

Shortly after NH cancelled 11/12, then UA added a second daily ORD-NRT, which is 881/882. Both 881/882 and 883/884 were both 744, after a while 881/882 remain 744 while 883/884 changed to 777, after that both 881/882, 883/884 all changed to 777. When NH come back to ORD and restart 11/12, it also signed a JV with UA, so UA cut out 883/884, down to 1 daily flight, 881/882 went back to 744.

UA 881/882 numbers are also tag on ORD-NRT-ICN

ORDnHKG

Another TPAC flight number that i had flown the domestic portion but not long haul was UA 809/810 (later 885/886) ORD-SFO-KIX. It was 744 then later 777. The domestic portion was always a widebody varies between 763, 777, and 744, unlike the domestic portion UA 815/816 ORD-LAX-SYD was only 319, 320, 752

JVPhoto

I know this is slightly OT but I can't stand the pmUA flight numbers with all the 8 or 9s (aka the 3 digit codes compared to lots of CO 2 digit ones).

Edit: Updated for more specificity and that I understand 8 is goodluck in Asia...it is one of my roulette numbers.

Baze

For international flights to Asia they are what is good. Lots of Asian cultures consider 8 to be very lucky and good. And if I remember right, none of the international flights to Asia have a 4 in them which in China is considered bad.

WineCountryUA

yep
8s are important lucky number for asians / ethic chinese

UA is not the only airline doing this.
Also made it easy to know which are TPAC vs TALT --- 9xxs

daron4000

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.

mrjay

Except for one HKG/SFO flight when the seat was broken, I always loved flying in the upper deck. IIRC the compensation was around $350 for my having to manually jack the seat up and down.

Next week, I'll be taking my last UA 747 flight (will be my first time in F on a 747), I'll be in seat 2A for SFO/ICN. Guess I should take pics and video to commemorate.