UA rarely flies 747 on long haul flights to South America. Why?

[Chicago Guy]

Lufthansa flies B747's on routes such as Frankfurt to Newark and Frankfurt to Ezeiza.

UA operates B767 on both the Houston to Ezeiza route and the Newark to Ezeiza route.

Why is it that UA rarely flies 747 on long haul flights to Europe and South America?

[Daddy Rulz]

Lufthansa flies B747's on routes such as Frankfurt to Newark and Frankfurt to Ezeiza.

UA operates B767 on both the Houston to Ezeiza route and the Newark to Ezeiza route.

Why is it that UA rarely flies 747 on long haul flights to Europe and South America?UA pretty much only uses the hogs on trans-pacific and occasional high load domestic flights due to fuel efficiency, in flight labor, and payload. They probably would use triple 7's across the pacific more eating the longer flight plans due to two engine v 4 engine rules if it wasn't for the freight revenue. It's getting harder and harder to make routes work for hogs because they're so damned inefficient. Sad really cause they are really cool planes.

[Chicago Guy]

UA pretty much only uses the hogs on trans-pacific and occasional high load domestic flights due to fuel efficiency, in flight labor, and payload. They probably would use triple 7's across the pacific more eating the longer flight plans due to two engine v 4 engine rules if it wasn't for the freight revenue. It's getting harder and harder to make routes work for hogs because they're so damned inefficient. Sad really cause they are really cool planes.That's too bad. Could be cool with a direct 747 flight between BsAs and NY / Miami.

I've always wondered which people (executives?) choose to fly on the upper deck of the Boeing 747. According to Lufthansa. Com, a first class ticket between Frankfurt and Ezeiza is a whooping 15k dollars.

Members of the European Parliament perhaps?

[Daddy Rulz]

That's too bad. Could be cool with a direct 747 flight between BsAs and NY / Miami.

I've always wondered which people (executives?) choose to fly on the upper deck of the Boeing 747. According to Lufthansa. Com, a first class ticket between Frankfurt and Ezeiza is a whooping 15k dollars.

Members of the European Parliament perhaps?Don't know about all airlines, but upper deck on a UAL Hog is biz not first. It's the most awesome of all Biz seats though. There is a huge storage unit running down the fuselage which makes great storage but also a good place to set stuff.

[Chicago Guy]

Don't know about all airlines, but upper deck on a UAL Hog is biz not first. It's the most awesome of all Biz seats though. There is a huge storage unit running down the fuselage which makes great storage but also a good place to set stuff.Yeah, it's definately alright:

UA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_k8oTrfj3s

Lufthansa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFfT9waAjjE

[Tres3]

That's too bad. Could be cool with a direct 747 flight between BsAs and NY / Miami.

I've always wondered which people (executives?) choose to fly on the upper deck of the Boeing 747. According to Lufthansa. Com, a first class ticket between Frankfurt and Ezeiza is a whooping 15k dollars.

Members of the European Parliament perhaps?One of the perks of being a corporate "executive" is that the company permits, and pays, for its executives to fly business or first class on international flights. Some companies also include domestic flights. Many of the corporations have a contract with UA, or some other airline, that gives them a discount, but premium seating is still expensive.

I speculate that UA will retire all of the 747s at some point. Not only are they very fuel inefficient with the four engines vs. Two, they also require twice as much engine maintenance. Continental, whose management now controls United Continental Holdings, had not flown a 747 for quite a few years, and I expect them to retire the 747s that came with the UA merger as quick as is economically feasible. Four engines really guzzle the gas, and high jet fuel prices seem to be a permanent reality.

The 747 has been around since the Viet Nam war, in some version. There was a time when safety considerations required four engines if one was going to fly over water, so all of the intercontinental jets had four engines. This all changed when two engine jets became certified for over-the-ocean flights.

Tres3

[Chicago Guy]

By the way: Have I just been unlucky so far, or is it the norm that flights over the equator encounter severe turbulence?

[Daddy Rulz]

By the way: Have I just been unlucky so far, or is it the norm that flights over the equator encounter severe turbulence?Try this

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/1822789/

[Gato Hunter]

747 will fade away over the next 15 years the 777 and 787 are just much cheaper to operate. BA still flys LHR SEA prolly my last flight on a 47 was last year.

[Daddy Rulz]

747 will fade away over the next 15 years the 777 and 787 are just much cheaper to operate. BA still flys LHR SEA prolly my last flight on a 47 was last year.The gas v a 777 just doesn't make sense. Prolly never be another plane with a lounge in the tail.

[Sportsman]

Yeah, it's definately alright:

UA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_k8oTrfj3s

Lufthansa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFfT9waAjjEYes, currently LH is the only airline that I'm aware of that has first class on the upper deck of 747-400. But LH's newest plane. 747-800 has first class in the nose of the main deck.

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Lufthansa/Lufthansa_Boeing_747_8.php

[Sportsman]

It's the most awesome of all Biz seats though. There is a huge storage unit running down the fuselage which makes great storage but also a good place to set stuff.I agree B747 upper deck is the most awesome of all United Biz class.