United Add 25 New Boeing 737-700s and Announces the Retirement of Boeing 747.
United
Airlinesyesterday (March 8, 2016) announced an order to purchase 25 new Boeing 737-700 aircraft.
The order is in addition to the previously announced order of 40 737-700s.
United will take delivery of the aircraft beginning at the end of 2017.
United
Airlines to add 25 new Boeing 737-700s
The new
737-700 aircraft will enable United to continue utilizing larger, more
efficient aircraft as the airline reduces the size of its 50-seat regional
fleet. United expects to have fewer than 100 aircraft in its 50-seat fleet by
the end of 2019.
The
next-generation 737-700s provide a superior customer experience by featuring
cabin enhancements including larger overhead bins that can accommodate
additional carry-on bags. The aircraft's Boeing Sky Interior creates a larger
sense of space through sculpted sidewall panels and LED cabin lighting that
mimics soft blue skies and sunset colors.
United also
announced that the carrier will retire its 747 fleet from scheduled service by
the end of 2018. Additionally, the airline announced that it will be converting
787 orders originally anticipated for delivery in 2020 and beyond into four
777-300ERs and five 787-9s beginning in 2017. These conversions will
accommodate the accelerated retirement of the 747s while also meeting United's
capacity needs.
"The
new 737-700 aircraft are ideal for our fleet as we continue to reduce our
reliance on 50-seat aircraft," said Gerry Laderman, United's senior vice
president of finance and acting chief financial officer. "Retiring the 747
fleet and replacing those aircraft with more customer-pleasing, current
generation aircraft creates a more reliable and efficient fleet that provides a
better overall experience for our customers traveling on long-haul
flights."
In addition
to this announcement, United currently has firm orders for 35 Airbus
A350-1000s, 153 aircraft from the Boeing 737 family, 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, and
27 Boeing 787s. The airline also has firm orders for 10 Embraer E175 aircraft
that United Express partners will operate.
United
Airlines and United Express operate an average of nearly 5,000 flights a day to
342 airports across six continents. In 2015, United and United Express operated
nearly two million flights carrying 140 million customers. United is proud to
have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs
in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and
Washington, D.C. United operates more than 700 mainline aircraft, and this
year, the airline anticipates taking delivery of 20 new Boeing aircraft,
including 737 NGs, 787s and 777s. The airline is a founding member of Star
Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 28 member airlines. Approximately
84,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the
world.
By: United Press
