Non-reconfigured (Old) 747 N194UA in service (until 6 Jan 2011)
Sep 25, 2010, 10:07 pm
#316
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: ABE/PHL/EWR
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 396
I saw N194UA for the first time today since it came back from the dead while on a MR in SFO. Just checked Flightaware, and it was inbound from Seoul.
Sep 25, 2010, 11:28 pm
#318
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,439
I don't quite follow your argument. All I'm saying is that the old 747--as I understand it--is meant as a hot-spare for int'l 74C flights. So why is the "spare" flying across the Pacific while an apparently serviceable 74C is doing domestic turns?
Is something preventing this particular 74C from going overwater? Has UA altered the equipment rotations so that 664/973 are now part of a larger circuit, served by different aircraft each day? I don't get it.
Is something preventing this particular 74C from going overwater? Has UA altered the equipment rotations so that 664/973 are now part of a larger circuit, served by different aircraft each day? I don't get it.
Where the airplanes in question are, where they are going, when the next scheduled maintenance check is due, which stations are qualified to perform that check (not all are), and the need for a particular airplane to be in a specific spot (say for a more lengthy maintenance check such as a gear change). It could many many things. Airplanes are not usually sitting around waiting for something to break.
For example, an airplane that can go ORD-Europe-ORD and then be in ORD for an A-check might be routed in place of an airplane that has three weeks left on it's A-check and therefore can go ORD-Asia-SFO-Asia-SFO-ORD. In this situation the first airplane would be out of place for its A-check and would not be used for such a routing.
Sep 26, 2010, 12:50 pm
#319
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA PP, UA 1K/MM, WoH Globalist, HH Gold
Posts: 1,203
Interesting. I'm booked on 664 early November and its showing old config 747.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Sep 26, 2010 at 1:59 pm Reason: merge
Sep 26, 2010, 12:57 pm
#320
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: 21,607
I saw this bird being towed to the international terminal at SFO this morning. Nice to see it upclose, but this bird really needs a paint job.
Sep 26, 2010, 6:40 pm
#322
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: People's Republic of HotTubistan
Posts: 1,408
Off to PVG today (the 26th) as UA857..............
Sep 26, 2010, 11:57 pm
#323
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Sept. 27 UA 664 SFO-ORD 6:01 a.m. changed from old to new 747 configuration
Thought I'd post this just in case any FTers are on this flight and want to check their seat assignments. A few hours ago I could not do online check-in; now I can and I still have the same (upgraded to C) seat I had previously been assigned. But the seat map indicates a new C configuration.
Sep 27, 2010, 9:28 am
#324
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1MM Lifetime Gold, starting AK, Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 347
Thought I'd post this just in case any FTers are on this flight and want to check their seat assignments. A few hours ago I could not do online check-in; now I can and I still have the same (upgraded to C) seat I had previously been assigned. But the seat map indicates a new C configuration.
Sep 27, 2010, 9:29 am
#325
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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: 21,607
Sep 27, 2010, 9:29 am
#326
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA USA // UA 1K 2 Million Miler, AA EXP 2MM, HH Diamond, SPG Plat // Easily found on SFO-ORDs
Posts: 2,726
They must be expecting more swapping between configurations.
This Wednesday's 973 ORD-SFO shows WIDE open seat maps in F and C but not a single seat left to assign in Y -- and they're still selling tons of Y (all fare classes are 9s). Seems like they're waiting to clear any upgrades into C until they know which configuration's going to be flying.
This Wednesday's 973 ORD-SFO shows WIDE open seat maps in F and C but not a single seat left to assign in Y -- and they're still selling tons of Y (all fare classes are 9s). Seems like they're waiting to clear any upgrades into C until they know which configuration's going to be flying.
Sep 27, 2010, 3:49 pm
#327
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
Ouch!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't let it do the same thing on Wed the 29th. I am on that flight and I paid extra $$ to change from ORD-HKG to SFO-PVG since C was sold out 3 weeks in advance on the ORD-HKG flight(!).
Looking at ualcargo I see it comes back to SFO on Tue AM and I can't find any activity for it until Thurs AM to ORD and back to SFO. Deferred MX in SFO?
Looking at ualcargo I see it comes back to SFO on Tue AM and I can't find any activity for it until Thurs AM to ORD and back to SFO. Deferred MX in SFO?
Last edited by dmodemd; Sep 27, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Sep 27, 2010, 8:37 pm
#328
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1MM Lifetime Gold, starting AK, Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 347
No doubt due to the swap to a 47C, tomorrow's UA664 SFO-ORD has been unavailable for checkin all day. Like a typically compulsive FTer, I've been looking off and on all day to see where I stand... er, sit. Still hoping for an upgrade, but certainly MUST get out of 38k buried deep in E-minus.
Just now the seatmap began showing the new config, and I thought I'd share the image since only rarely does one have complete freedom to choose any seat in E-plus.
Just now the seatmap began showing the new config, and I thought I'd share the image since only rarely does one have complete freedom to choose any seat in E-plus.
Sep 27, 2010, 9:04 pm
#329
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Amtrak S+, HH GLD, AA 1MM, SPG, UA, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 371
Forget E+, beeline to 33C/H! (And good luck on your upgrade.)
Sep 28, 2010, 7:26 am
#330
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 6
I am on 664 Wed. 9-29. Looks like it will be a newly configured 747-400. On-line check in is not available, as the older 747-400 configuration was used as the seating chart. Fortunately in first class, the only difference is that there is no row 5 and I'm in 2A, so it should carry over without a hitch.
I fly 664 every week and it's always interesting when checking in on this flight; however, I will miss flying on the 747-400 when the 777's come on.
vincesf
I fly 664 every week and it's always interesting when checking in on this flight; however, I will miss flying on the 747-400 when the 777's come on.
vincesf