Posted on 10/28/2009 9:41:03 AM PDT by ConservativeStatement
Today marks a bittersweet milestone in aviation history.
United Airlines, the first carrier to make the Boeing 737 a staple of its fleet 41 years ago, is retiring the last of those jets in an airborne party that will stretch from Virginia to California.
The plane is the last of 94 Boeing 737s that United has grounded since September 2008. That painful maneuver cost thousands of United workers their jobs but likely saved the carrier from financial calamity as the travel market collapsed last winter following Wall Street's meltdown, analysts said.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Wow!! That is interesting. United replaced the 737s with Airbuses or those Brazilian regional jets?
Farewell, 737.
I used to joke that UA was making progress..since some of their Stews were actually younger than their airplanes.
Those old 737’s were in sad shape and they had them on some long routes after wraping up United Express 737’s on the West Coast.
Do ya think Southwest needs spares and parts?
My last two flights, I was the youngest crewmember and I'm no spring chicken.
That is interesting. United replaced the 737s with Airbuses or those Brazilian regional jets?
I wish they replaced them, they just ditched the 737 with no replacements.
I had not heard this and am surprised. I guess they will rely on A319/320 to replace it now.
That is interesting. So what does United fly on the more short haul flights?
ping
I’m pretty sure American is replacing some MD80s with the newer 737s. Jet Blue has zero Boeings, IIRC.
A-320s.
I took a Delta flight last week - 767 - I'm in my 50's and I didn't see a single crew-member who appeared younger than me. Then, on the return flight, I don't think anyone was older than 40, maybe even 35. It was strange and I wondered if it was intentional somehow.
I know they’re old and worse on gas than a lot of other models but I always really liked that model of aircraft and am sad to see them go. They were comfortable to fly in and sort of cute in a chubby way.
LQ
The NG (New Generation) 737’s are really quite economical, with ultra-high bypass CFM-56-7B engines, a completely redesigned improved wing, and glass cockpits. This version will be around for a long time.
Most recently, UAL was flying older -300 and -500 jets that were purchesed back in the early 80’s. Their 737-200’s (from the mid-60’s) were retired long ago.
From what I read, United will keep the Airbus 319 and 320 models and eliminate the 737. I prefer AirTran to Chicago’s Midway better than flying into O’Hare.
After looking at the facts about the aircraft, just how much of the ORIGINAL aircraft is left? Since it’s been in the UA fleet since 1988, a lot of metal has been replaced. Just a matter of curiosity.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-10-27-united-737-final-flight_N.htm
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