United Goes Global: International 747s

For the majority of its history United had been one of the world's largest airlines, however it was not an international airline and its fleet of 747-100s hastily bought in the late 60s were primarily operating services to Hawaii or transcontinental domestic routes. Deregulation changed all this for United - able to flex its muscles domestically and supplant the traditional US flag carriers it entered the 1990s ready to expand globally and to achieve this it needed new widebody aircraft.

The 1985 purchase of Pan Am's Far Eastern network had opened up the Pacific to United but the mix of 747SPs and L-1011s it acquired as part of the deal were not ideal for the routes, which unlike Pan Am it could feed from its mega-hubs at Chicago, Denver and San Francisco. As a stopgap five ex-American Airlines 747-123s were acquired in 1987 (becoming N153-157UA). It also tacked on a pair of new 747-222Bs to a massive 1985 order for 737-300s. These two late build aircraft became N151UA and N152UA when they were delivered in March and April 1987. Further 747s were acquired well into the 1990s when 7 ex-Qantas 747-238Bs were added which became N158-161UA and N163-165UA from January 1991.

United Airlines Boeing 747-400 N184UA Gemini Jets 1:400 Scale Model Airliner

Obviously the 747-200 though still a decent prospect in 1990 was a little long in the tooth and United was quick to order longer term equipment in the form of the new and much improved 747-400. United received its first series 422 in June 1989 when 'Spirit of Seattle II' N171UA arrived. Twenty two 747-400s were delivered from then until August 1993 enabling the retirement of the eleven 747SPs inherited from Pan Am. Not content with this United had in October 1990 made what at the time was the largest airline order in history when in a deal worth around $11 billion at list prices it ordered 30 more 747-400s and 34 777-200s. At the time United was in the midst of an attempted takeover by its own employees and the order was seen as a way of refocusing the airline's strategic plans.

Indeed during 1991 United more than doubled its European network as it acquired Pan Am's London hub and in 1992 it began its South American network with flights to Caracas, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. The second batch of 747-400s began to join the fleet in August 1996 with N193UA but in the end only 20 extra frames were taken on for a combined fleet of 42 747-422s. Deliveries continued until N128UA on May 12, 2000. The completion of 747-400 deliveries roughly correlated with the retirement of the last 747-100s and 200s. The last of the 747-238Bs seem to have been withdrawn in December 2000.

By that time United was entering into troubled waters and following Sept 11 it entered bankruptcy, which involved dropping around ten of the older 747-400s. Despite gradual retirements there are still 21 747-400s in service with United in the post-Continental merged airline. At present United plans to continue flying the 747-400 until October 2018 when N177UA is withdrawn. Though now even the 747-400 is an old type it more than any other is responsible for United embracing its opportunity to become a truly global airline during the formative early 1990s.

References

Jouzaitis, C. 1985, November. Boeing Gets United Order. Chicago Tribune
1990, October. United Airlines Places Order for up to 128 Planes. Inquirer Web Services
Sumers, B. 2015, August. When will United retire its 747-400s.