Last edit by: expert7700
News Release Issued: September 18, 2017 (3:17pm EDT)
"Friend Ship" Will Recreate the Journey of the First United 747 Flight from 1970
United's final international 747 flight from Seoul to San Francisco departs October 29
CHICAGO, Sept. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of United Airlines retiring the Boeing 747 from its fleet, United flight 747, on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from San Francisco to Honolulu will be the airline's farewell flight to the 747 fleet.
This journey will serve as the ultimate throwback for customers, employees and invited guests as it recreates the first 747 flight operated by United in 1970. From a 1970s-inspired menu to retro uniforms for flight attendants to inflight entertainment befitting of that first flight, passengers will help send the Queen of the Skies off in true style. The original United 747 aircraft that first made this journey from San Francisco to Honolulu was named the "Friend Ship," the same name bestowed on this farewell flight.
Seats on this special, one-way trip, United flight 747, are available for purchase now at united.com or through the United app. The seats in the upper deck will not be sold, giving all guests the opportunity to spend time in this iconic space.
Customers seated in United Polaris first class and United Polaris business class will be entered into a drawing that will take place at the gate prior to boarding for an opportunity to occupy one of a select number of seats in the upper deck during the flight.
The journey will begin with a gate celebration at 9 a.m. local time at San Francisco International Airport, featuring a Boeing 747 gallery, remarks from United employees and executives, as well as refreshments. The flight will depart San Francisco International Airport at 11 a.m. local time, landing at Honolulu International Airport at 2:45 p.m. local time. Upon landing in Honolulu, local employees will welcome the aircraft with final festivities to close out the historic day. Customers and fans of the Queen of the Skies are encouraged to use the #UA747Farewell hashtag in social media posts.
United and the Boeing 747 through the Years
April 13, 1966: Boeing announces it will build a 490-passenger 747 transport. Construction is set to begin in June on a new plant in Everett, Washington.
January 3, 1967: The first production workers for the 747 program arrive in Everett. The 50,000 who would produce the world's largest civilian airplane were known as The Incredibles, and they earned the label by bringing the Jumbo Jet dream to reality in only 16 months.
September 30, 1968: The first Boeing 747-100, City of Everett, is rolled out at their Washington plant, painted with the insignias of the 27 airlines that had already ordered the aircraft including United.
February 9, 1969: The Boeing 747-100 makes its first flight.
January 21, 1970: The Boeing 747 makes its first commercial flight from New York to London for Pan American World Airways.
June 26, 1970: Continental Airlines becomes one of the first carriers to put the Boeing 747 into U.S. domestic service, flying from Chicago to Los Angeles and onward to Honolulu.
June 26, 1970: United Airlines receives its first Boeing 747-100 complete with a christening ceremony fit for a luxury liner.
July 23, 1970: United makes its first Boeing 747 commercial flight, with a trip from San Francisco to Honolulu.
January 1977: A modified Boeing 747-100 is delivered to NASA to serve as a carrier vehicle for the Space Shuttle.
April 22, 1985: United announces its plan to acquire Pan Am's Pacific routes, as well as 11 Boeing 747SP planes. The 747SPs feature a 48-foot-shorter body and fly higher, faster, and farther than standard 747 models.
January 29-30, 1988: Friendship One, a Boeing 747SP owned by United Airlines, sets the around-the-world air speed record of 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds. This special flight raises $500,000 for children's charities through the Friendship Foundation. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,000, and special guest passengers included astronaut Neil Armstrong, famed test pilots Bob Hoover and Lieutenant General Laurence C. Craigie, and Moya Lear, the widow of Lear Jet founder Bill Lear.
June, 1989: United Airlines receives their first Boeing 747-400 which provides increased range.
August 23, 1990: The first of two modified Boeing 747-200Bs is delivered to the Air Force for presidential transport. Better known as Air Force One, these planes still serve the president today, having replaced the Boeing 707-320Bs that had served as the presidential aircraft for almost 30 years.
September 1996: A 747SP previously flown by United is transformed into NASA's SOFIA, or Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, which carries a 17-ton, 8-foot-wide infrared telescope mounted behind an enormous sliding door.
June 28, 2014: Boeing delivers the 1,500th 747 to come off the production line. The 747 aircraft is the world's first wide-body airplane in history to reach the 1,500 production units milestone.
January 11, 2017: United announces that it will retire the Boeing 747-400 fleet in the last quarter of 2017.
July 28, 2017: United schedules a special domestic flight from Chicago O'Hare to San Francisco to allow more people to say farewell to the Queen of the Skies.
October 29, 2017: United flies its last international 747 flight from Seoul to San Francisco.
November 7, 2017: United celebrates the retirement of the Boeing 747 with a fitting full-circle moment. A special retro event sees the aircraft flying from San Francisco to Honolulu—a nod to its first-ever flight back in 1970.
Flight Status Link
(May require multiple attempts to load; close and re-click if website errors.)
FT Handle -- seat (optional)
ORD4R - 2A
tcdtcd and son - 450pm return to ORD - 2K/3K
kevanyalowitz - 3H (will trade for 1A/K!)
jdivenere - 4A
UA1flyer - 4C
CO FF - 6K (return to LAX on HA2 @ 3:45pm or UA 534 @ 9:45pm)
ctownflyer - 7A
JSpira - 9K
EWR764 - 19G - return @ 420pm to EWR UA62
ChiTownMuggle - 20D
Ruhr - 20H
pushmyredbutton - 20K
greg99 - 21D
BThumme - 22A - return @ 945pm to LAX
goldelite8 - 22G
Trijet1011 - 24A
MRY Flyer +1 - 24 H&J
Cybertronic - 25H
Sykes - 33C
ZRS70 - 33H
eklapper - 34A
plc44 - 34K
Pat89339 - 35C
CaptKornDog - 36C
eap+1 - 40HK
ual763 - 51k
expert7700 - 36K
Seatmap below shows FTers in red. Valid as of 11/6.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rrwq0gdcdb...FTers.jpg?dl=0
SCROLL DOWN FOR LIST OF FLYERTALK MEMBERS ON THIS FLIGHT
"Friend Ship" Will Recreate the Journey of the First United 747 Flight from 1970
United's final international 747 flight from Seoul to San Francisco departs October 29
CHICAGO, Sept. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of United Airlines retiring the Boeing 747 from its fleet, United flight 747, on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from San Francisco to Honolulu will be the airline's farewell flight to the 747 fleet.
This journey will serve as the ultimate throwback for customers, employees and invited guests as it recreates the first 747 flight operated by United in 1970. From a 1970s-inspired menu to retro uniforms for flight attendants to inflight entertainment befitting of that first flight, passengers will help send the Queen of the Skies off in true style. The original United 747 aircraft that first made this journey from San Francisco to Honolulu was named the "Friend Ship," the same name bestowed on this farewell flight.
Seats on this special, one-way trip, United flight 747, are available for purchase now at united.com or through the United app. The seats in the upper deck will not be sold, giving all guests the opportunity to spend time in this iconic space.
Customers seated in United Polaris first class and United Polaris business class will be entered into a drawing that will take place at the gate prior to boarding for an opportunity to occupy one of a select number of seats in the upper deck during the flight.
The journey will begin with a gate celebration at 9 a.m. local time at San Francisco International Airport, featuring a Boeing 747 gallery, remarks from United employees and executives, as well as refreshments. The flight will depart San Francisco International Airport at 11 a.m. local time, landing at Honolulu International Airport at 2:45 p.m. local time. Upon landing in Honolulu, local employees will welcome the aircraft with final festivities to close out the historic day. Customers and fans of the Queen of the Skies are encouraged to use the #UA747Farewell hashtag in social media posts.
United and the Boeing 747 through the Years
April 13, 1966: Boeing announces it will build a 490-passenger 747 transport. Construction is set to begin in June on a new plant in Everett, Washington.
January 3, 1967: The first production workers for the 747 program arrive in Everett. The 50,000 who would produce the world's largest civilian airplane were known as The Incredibles, and they earned the label by bringing the Jumbo Jet dream to reality in only 16 months.
September 30, 1968: The first Boeing 747-100, City of Everett, is rolled out at their Washington plant, painted with the insignias of the 27 airlines that had already ordered the aircraft including United.
February 9, 1969: The Boeing 747-100 makes its first flight.
January 21, 1970: The Boeing 747 makes its first commercial flight from New York to London for Pan American World Airways.
June 26, 1970: Continental Airlines becomes one of the first carriers to put the Boeing 747 into U.S. domestic service, flying from Chicago to Los Angeles and onward to Honolulu.
June 26, 1970: United Airlines receives its first Boeing 747-100 complete with a christening ceremony fit for a luxury liner.
July 23, 1970: United makes its first Boeing 747 commercial flight, with a trip from San Francisco to Honolulu.
January 1977: A modified Boeing 747-100 is delivered to NASA to serve as a carrier vehicle for the Space Shuttle.
April 22, 1985: United announces its plan to acquire Pan Am's Pacific routes, as well as 11 Boeing 747SP planes. The 747SPs feature a 48-foot-shorter body and fly higher, faster, and farther than standard 747 models.
January 29-30, 1988: Friendship One, a Boeing 747SP owned by United Airlines, sets the around-the-world air speed record of 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds. This special flight raises $500,000 for children's charities through the Friendship Foundation. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,000, and special guest passengers included astronaut Neil Armstrong, famed test pilots Bob Hoover and Lieutenant General Laurence C. Craigie, and Moya Lear, the widow of Lear Jet founder Bill Lear.
June, 1989: United Airlines receives their first Boeing 747-400 which provides increased range.
August 23, 1990: The first of two modified Boeing 747-200Bs is delivered to the Air Force for presidential transport. Better known as Air Force One, these planes still serve the president today, having replaced the Boeing 707-320Bs that had served as the presidential aircraft for almost 30 years.
September 1996: A 747SP previously flown by United is transformed into NASA's SOFIA, or Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, which carries a 17-ton, 8-foot-wide infrared telescope mounted behind an enormous sliding door.
June 28, 2014: Boeing delivers the 1,500th 747 to come off the production line. The 747 aircraft is the world's first wide-body airplane in history to reach the 1,500 production units milestone.
January 11, 2017: United announces that it will retire the Boeing 747-400 fleet in the last quarter of 2017.
July 28, 2017: United schedules a special domestic flight from Chicago O'Hare to San Francisco to allow more people to say farewell to the Queen of the Skies.
October 29, 2017: United flies its last international 747 flight from Seoul to San Francisco.
November 7, 2017: United celebrates the retirement of the Boeing 747 with a fitting full-circle moment. A special retro event sees the aircraft flying from San Francisco to Honolulu—a nod to its first-ever flight back in 1970.
(May require multiple attempts to load; close and re-click if website errors.)
ARE YOU ON THIS FINAL 747 FLIGHT?
FT Handle -- seat (optional)
ORD4R - 2A
tcdtcd and son - 450pm return to ORD - 2K/3K
kevanyalowitz - 3H (will trade for 1A/K!)
jdivenere - 4A
UA1flyer - 4C
CO FF - 6K (return to LAX on HA2 @ 3:45pm or UA 534 @ 9:45pm)
ctownflyer - 7A
JSpira - 9K
EWR764 - 19G - return @ 420pm to EWR UA62
ChiTownMuggle - 20D
Ruhr - 20H
pushmyredbutton - 20K
greg99 - 21D
BThumme - 22A - return @ 945pm to LAX
goldelite8 - 22G
Trijet1011 - 24A
MRY Flyer +1 - 24 H&J
Cybertronic - 25H
Sykes - 33C
ZRS70 - 33H
eklapper - 34A
plc44 - 34K
Pat89339 - 35C
CaptKornDog - 36C
eap+1 - 40HK
ual763 - 51k
expert7700 - 36K
Seatmap below shows FTers in red. Valid as of 11/6.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rrwq0gdcdb...FTers.jpg?dl=0
Official: Final United Boeing 747 Flight Was SFO-HNL on 7 Nov 2017 {SOLD OUT}
#391
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 65
This is gettin' real!
I just checked in for my positioning flight tomorrow ORD - SFO. So very excited!
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
#392
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
I just checked in for my positioning flight tomorrow ORD - SFO. So very excited!
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
#393
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 27
I just checked in for my positioning flight tomorrow ORD - SFO. So very excited!
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
And while I'm here I'll put a little water on that seed for a meetup Monday evening.... @CaptKornDog had thought the Marriott Waterfront might be a convenient place for folks .... esp those of us coming in from out of town.
The Marriott sounds good to me! I will be in town tomorrow morning, so can meet up whenever works best for everyone.
#394
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: United 1K, American Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 430
Speculations
For those of us who are unfortunately stuck in Economy...
1) Will we get a free meal? I'm fairly sure that we are, as I read a memo that the meal choices will be the same in Economy as Polaris Business or First.
2) Will we get free alcoholic drinks in Economy? I would surmise yes, we will, for such a festive occasion!
Also...
3) Will we get a water cannon salute? In SFO or HNL? I would hope so, yes! I have never been on an aircraft when having the water cannon salute the plane. Will be very interesting to experience that!
1) Will we get a free meal? I'm fairly sure that we are, as I read a memo that the meal choices will be the same in Economy as Polaris Business or First.
2) Will we get free alcoholic drinks in Economy? I would surmise yes, we will, for such a festive occasion!
Also...
3) Will we get a water cannon salute? In SFO or HNL? I would hope so, yes! I have never been on an aircraft when having the water cannon salute the plane. Will be very interesting to experience that!
#395
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,757
Fun Fact: The N Access Road goes all the way around the other side of the airfield, and this beauty is right next to a parking lot. Probably the closest you can get outside of family day.
#397
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
Greg
#398
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
Looks like 28 people have “cleared the upgrade list” according to flight status.
I wonder if those people really were upgrading using GPU’s or miles, or if they’re some other status.
Anybody here clear?
I wonder if those people really were upgrading using GPU’s or miles, or if they’re some other status.
Anybody here clear?
#399
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,042
http://terminalmaps.hawaii.gov:8080/hmaps/hnl
#400
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 65
For those of us who are unfortunately stuck in Economy...
1) Will we get a free meal? I'm fairly sure that we are, as I read a memo that the meal choices will be the same in Economy as Polaris Business or First.
2) Will we get free alcoholic drinks in Economy? I would surmise yes, we will, for such a festive occasion!
Also...
3) Will we get a water cannon salute? In SFO or HNL? I would hope so, yes! I have never been on an aircraft when having the water cannon salute the plane. Will be very interesting to experience that!
1) Will we get a free meal? I'm fairly sure that we are, as I read a memo that the meal choices will be the same in Economy as Polaris Business or First.
2) Will we get free alcoholic drinks in Economy? I would surmise yes, we will, for such a festive occasion!
Also...
3) Will we get a water cannon salute? In SFO or HNL? I would hope so, yes! I have never been on an aircraft when having the water cannon salute the plane. Will be very interesting to experience that!
2. Oh my goodness, I hadn't realized how MUCH I was counting on that until you asked! Now I'm gonna go hunt for drink vouchers (I usually give them all away, but I think I have a few left)
3. I truly hope so! I've never experienced that. I heard due to water restrictions in SFO the water cannon salutes are "dry".... but I'll wager we do.
So very exciting!
#401
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: COS/DEN
Programs: UA 1P (w/ no expectations whatsoever); Marriott Gold; Hilton Silver; Hertz Pres
Posts: 693
Well, boots on the ground in SFO here. I’ll help establish the FlyerTalk beachhead.
Our ride outside on the rollout on 28R: https://m.imgur.com/Caq3Ooi
I do have a rental car for tonight/tomorrow during the day that I’ll be dropping off at SFO at some point...then hopping the Marriott shuttle depending when it sounds like everyone else is getting in.
Our ride outside on the rollout on 28R: https://m.imgur.com/Caq3Ooi
I do have a rental car for tonight/tomorrow during the day that I’ll be dropping off at SFO at some point...then hopping the Marriott shuttle depending when it sounds like everyone else is getting in.
#403
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: WN, AA, UA, DL
Posts: 1,313
Gate 33 at HNL is in the Ewa Concourse, about as far away from UA's normal gates in the Diamond Head Concourse as you can get. It's normally used for international departures by JAL, ANA, Qantas, Hawaiian, etc. I suspect at 2:45 in the afternoon, that end of the airport is relatively dead so they can have a fun party at the gate without impacting other flights.
#404
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
#405
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
I think if you book a 'standard' biz award you show up on the upgrade cleared list, but I could be wrong. Might also just be media who were given seats.