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Official: Final United Boeing 747 Flight Was SFO-HNL on 7 Nov 2017 {SOLD OUT}

Old Sep 18, 2017, 1:29 pm
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Last edit by: expert7700
News Release Issued: September 18, 2017 (3:17pm EDT)
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"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 Honolulua nod to its first-ever flight back in 1970.
Flight Status Link
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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

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Official: Final United Boeing 747 Flight Was SFO-HNL on 7 Nov 2017 {SOLD OUT}

Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:31 pm
  #556  
 
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Exclamation

Originally Posted by minnyfly
Right now they're on SFO tower. But with their maintenance hold there's been no communication for a little while.

https://www.liveatc.net/flisten.php?...mount=ksfo_twr
Thank you for info and link.
Why the maintenance hold? I am sure they will catch up in the air.

Early arrival says FR24 and Flightaware.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:31 pm
  #557  
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120.5
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:31 pm
  #558  
 
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Originally Posted by expert7700
shameful. hundreds of passengers upset for weeks because they could not get/buy seats ( including my wife and son who I painfully left behind). Them we just pushed back with EIGHTY empty seats.

Way to mismanage this, United.
Its possible a lot of people no showed without the courtesy of canceling the reservation.

Still surprised more employees weren't on the standby list - I've seen regular flights with a lot more nonrevs clear than 12!

They could have scrounged up 80 pass riders around SFO though I think there was some restriction on listing which would have solved if this was lifted.

As Minnyfly points out wasn't sold to capacity.

I guess to handle the big meal load and give people room in the aisles.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:32 pm
  #559  
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I'm waiting on Pier 32. Think it will fly the Bay circle route over the Golden Gate?
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:33 pm
  #560  
 
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Originally Posted by CDG1
Thank you for info and link.
Why the maintenance hold? I am sure they will catch up in the air.

Early arrival says FR24 and Flightaware.
Don't know why. The pilots didn't say. Those onboard might know.

Being ontime isn't that important. The are creating a roadblock on a main taxiway for other flights though.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:34 pm
  #561  
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Maintenance issue re air conditioning. But as the captain said, more time on the queen of the skies.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:35 pm
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Loving the live shots from the KCBS chopper! As for the delay I'm in ro rush to see her leave.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:36 pm
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Exclamation

Originally Posted by Pat89339
Maintenance issue re air conditioning. But as the captain said, more time on the queen of the skies.
Thanks for the information.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:37 pm
  #564  
 
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Exclamation

Originally Posted by snowed
Loving the live shots from the KCBS chopper! As for the delay I'm in ro rush to see her leave.
Link?
Thanks.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:38 pm
  #565  
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Originally Posted by CDG1
Link?
Thanks.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/201...ht-out-of-sfo/

Captain just advised they're still working with mx.
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:39 pm
  #566  
 
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:42 pm
  #567  
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UA747 is heading to the VIP area to do a "quick maintenance thing".
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:42 pm
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Question

Originally Posted by FriendlySkies
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/201...ht-out-of-sfo/

Captain just advised they're still working with mx.
Did I hear they are going to send them to the VIP stand for maintenance??

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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:42 pm
  #569  
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Heading to maintenance hanger for mechanics to look at the Airconditoning pack
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Old Nov 7, 2017, 12:43 pm
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How fitting!

Well, more time on the plane for those onboard.
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