Serving as the ultimate throwback, the airline recreated the first 747 flight operated by United in 1970 for today’s historic farewell journey. Flight UA747 departed fromÊSan FranciscoÊwith service toÊHonoluluÊwith more than 300 customers, employees and distinguished guests onboard.
United says farewell to the Queen of the Skies with the final flight from SFO to HNL.
From a 1970s-inspired menu to retro uniforms for flight attendants to inflight entertainment befitting of that first flight, the ÒQueen of the SkiesÓ is being sent off in style. Seats for this flight sold out in less than 90 minutes when this farewell celebration was announced in September.
ÒThe iconic 747 is a remarkably special aircraft that signaled a new era of air travel and was equally recognizable and beloved by our customers and crew alike,Ó saidÊOscar Munoz, CEO of United. ÒWhile today is bittersweet, we’ll continue to honor the Queen of the Skies’ game-changing legacy of connecting people and uniting the world with our next-generation of long-haul aircraft.Ó
The send-off began this morning at SFO with a gate party featuring a 747 gallery, 1970s costumes for use in a retro photo booth, a life-size retirement card for customers and employees to sign and of course, cake.ÊOscar MunozÊaddressed the crowd alongside State SenatorÊJerry HillÊand executives from Boeing and Pratt & Whitney.
Upon landing inÊHonolulu, local employees will welcome the aircraft with final festivities to close out the historic day, including remarks from United leaders and Hawaii State RepresentativeÊHenry J.C. Aquino.
747-400 Facts and Figures
- The 747-400 ranks as the commercial airliner with the largest passenger interior volume, at 31,285 cubic feet.
- At 231 feet, 10 inches from nose to tail, the 747-400 is roughly as long as five humpback whales end-to-end.
- The wingspan (211 feet, 5 inches) is about 10 feet wider than the Lincoln Memorial inÊWashington, D.C.
- Its wings have a surface area of 5,650 square feet, bigger than a standard size NBA basketball court.
- A typical trans-Atlantic flight uses over 5.5 tons of food suppliesÑ more than the weight of a large Asian elephant.
- The tail height is 63.8 feet, equivalent to a six-story building.
- The aircraft contains 171 miles of wiring, enough to connectÊNew York City toÊBaltimore.
- The 747-400 is one of the fastest passenger aircraft in service, with a cruise speed of 565 mph, more than twice as fast as a Formula One car.
United’s 747 Through the Years
June 26, 1970:ÊÊUnited Airlines receives its first 747-100 complete with a christening ceremony fit for a luxury liner.
July 23, 1970:ÊÊUnited makes its first 747 commercial flight, with a trip fromÊSan FranciscoÊtoÊHonolulu.
April 22, 1985:ÊÊUnited announces its plan to acquire Pan Am’s Pacific routes, as well as 11 747SP planes. The 747SPs feature a 48-foot-shorter body and fly higher, faster, and farther than standard 747 models.
January 29-30, 1988:ÊÊFriendship One, a 747SP owned by United Airlines, sets the around-the-world air speed record of 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds. This special flight raisesÊ$500,000Êfor children’s charities through the Friendship Foundation. Tickets cost a minimum ofÊ$5,000, and special guest passengers included astronautÊNeil Armstrong, famed test pilotsÊBob HooverÊand Lieutenant GeneralÊLaurence C. Craigie, andÊMoya Lear, the widow of Lear Jet founderÊBill Lear.
June, 1989:ÊUnited Airlines receives their first 747-400 which provides increased range.
September 1996:ÊA 747SPÊpreviously flown by United isÊtransformed into NASA’sÊSOFIA, or Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, which carries a 17-ton, 8-foot-wide infrared telescope mounted behind an enormous sliding door.
January 11, 2017:ÊUnited announces that it will retire the 747-400 fleet in the last quarter of 2017.
July 28, 2017:ÊUnited schedules a special domestic flight from Chicago O’Hare toÊSan FranciscoÊto allow more customers to experience the Queen of the Skies.
October, 2017:ÊUnited employees get a chance to say goodbye to the 747 when the aircraft goes on a farewell tour with stops at each of the carrier’s U.S. hubs.
October 29, 2017:ÊUnited flies its last international 747 flight fromÊSeoulÊtoÊSan Francisco.
November 7, 2017:ÊUnited celebrates the retirement of the 747 with a fitting full-circle moment. A special retro event sees the aircraft flying fromÊSan FranciscoÊto HonoluluÑa nod to its first-ever flight back in 1970.
