Screenshot from a beautifully produced sayonara to the Queen of the Skies (Image: YouTube/United)
We held this post until the weekend so readers would have time to enjoy the full six minutes of the beautiful tribute video United has made for the retirement of its 747.
Highlights of the video include the mod, colorful 70s interiors of Continental’s early 747s that flew between Chicago, Los Angeles and Honolulu. Several gorgeous shots of the beautiful bird in nearly every United livery. The big reveal of the very first 747 “to a collective gasp” in Seattle in 1968. Interview with pilots saying how easy it was to fly. United flew it’s first 747 to SFO-HNL– flight attendants talk about chef-made meals and the lounge up the spiral staircase.
Sit back, relax, remember and soak it all in. And let us know if you get a little misty eyed at the end like we did. Enjoy!
Here’s what United wrote on its blog about the 747 this week:
Since her induction into our fleet, the Boeing 747 aka the “Queen of the Skies” has been one of our most recognizable aircrafts with a unique upper deck, giving her an instantly recognizable hump silhouette. Over the years, she’s built up a considerable fanbase, winning the hearts of customers and employees alike. Before she flies into the sunset next month, join us as we pay homage to the Queen of the Skies after 47 years of service with United. #UA747Farewell
I’m sure this will be one of many odes to the 747 we’ll see in coming weeks as United’s final 747 flight date approaches: November 7.
These are the storage bins on United 747s – enjoy them while you can! 747s fly away in October (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
What do you remember most about the 747? What will you miss most? For me, I will definitely miss its graceful beauty, but from a practical standpoint, I’m going to miss those big beautiful bins under the windows upstairs in the business class bubble! So convenient.
Watch the full video and then leave your thoughts and comments below, please.
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Very soon as DL just took delivery of their first A350 which will be stationed in DTW.
Having retired after flying a true beauty of a plane in my career years, a Gulfstream 4, whenever I had to taxi up to a 747 and hold behind one to watch it takeoff, made me truly envious of those pilots. Although sometimes I think they looked over at my bird and felt the same.
What grace and style compared to the Whale A380. Last I saw British Air was still flying the 74 DFW – LHR.
I retired in 2003 flying the 747-400 and loved the airplane. People would ask how I liked flying the 747 and I told them that when we flew flights over 12 hours we had 4 pilots. Myself and 3 co-pilots. When I looked to my right, all I could see is co-pilots and when I looked to my right, all I could see is ENGINES!! My kind of airplane..
What can we do to get airlines other than Lufthansa and Korean to buy new 747-8s?
Whatever excuse they think they have not to get new 747-8s,I don’t buy.
If an engine fails,I want three,not one,to still be working.
Does anyone know how long KLM will be flying their 747’s?
What a sad day. This is a huge loss to wonderful travel. Gone are the days of space and grace.
Farewell grande dame! I was 7 when my family was bumped to First Class on a Pan Am 747 flight from Heathrow to JFK. One of the handful of times I have ever flown First, let alone international First. How could such an experience not make one fall in love with air travel? The flight attendants conscripted me to pass out After Eight dinner mints… it was truly heaven.
My favorite aircraft of all time, from sitting the bubble which feels like a private plane to sitting at the front of the plane in front of the pilot. I have always enjoyed from when I was a small child to a graying adult.
Great vid Chris. Have you gotten any stealth word on when DL is ending their 747 flights?
PanAm dining in the upper deck