I would like to know when and why CO retired the 747s from service.
Thanks
sacha
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Continental Airlines 747s
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
In 1987 People Express was purchased by Continental. This merger provided Continental trans-continental routes within the United States as well as to trans-Atlantic routes to Europe. PeoplExpress also had a fleet of Boeing 747-200 jets that were integrated into the orginal fleet.
i dont know why or when they retired them, all i know is how they got them
i dont know why or when they retired them, all i know is how they got them
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
Continental had 747's in 1971 & 72, As a child I flew on one from Den to LAX.
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
CO operated 747s in two different eras.
First, like many other carriers, CO operated early 747s, but eventually standardized on the DC-10 as the wide-body of choice.
The second time, after the acquisition of People Express, CO operated 747s again. IIRC, they were retired due to high fuel consumption (the 5 CO 747s represented 5% of the fuel used by the entire CO fleet - that's a summary of statements made by former CO President Greg Brenneman) and due to pending maintenance, but I don't recall if that was for engine strut modifications or the forward fuselage/nose rebuild or both.
[Edited 2005-12-04 22:24:26]
First, like many other carriers, CO operated early 747s, but eventually standardized on the DC-10 as the wide-body of choice.
The second time, after the acquisition of People Express, CO operated 747s again. IIRC, they were retired due to high fuel consumption (the 5 CO 747s represented 5% of the fuel used by the entire CO fleet - that's a summary of statements made by former CO President Greg Brenneman) and due to pending maintenance, but I don't recall if that was for engine strut modifications or the forward fuselage/nose rebuild or both.
[Edited 2005-12-04 22:24:26]
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
CO, like all the major US carriers, was quick to order the 747 for its route network and took delivery of four (I think) of the type in the early 1970s, the 747s were assigned to CO's key routes at the time, being the ORD-DEN-LAX service and the ORD-LAX-HNL service. And, just like most of the other US carriers, CO had an impossible time keeping the 350 seats on its 747 filled......the aircraft was simply too big for domestic services. After a few years time, CO parked and then sold off its 747-124 fleet, and its recently acquired DC10-10s took over as the biggest airliner in CO's fleet. CO was not alone in failing to make the 747 work on US domestic services.....DL had a small fleet of 747s, AA flew 747s on its domestic network, etc, etc.....the aircraft was just too big (also note that during the early 1970s, the US experienced the first fuel crisis which greatly increased the price of fuel at the time).
And, as pointed out above, CO had a second round with the 747, this time after the Peoplexpress merger in 1987....PE had a fleet of five (again, I am no longer certain with the numbers) second hand 747s which it flew on its transcon and transatlantic routes......PE also flew the 747 on the EWR-DEN route for a short time after PE purchased Frontier One and was connecting its EWR hub and Denver hub. CO retained the 747s for several years after the merger, CO flew the 747s on some transatlantic services and eventually the 747s found their way to the CO Air Mike operation prior to being retired in the late 1990s, curiously, again in favor of DC10s which became the largest type in the newly reorganized CO fleet.
And, as pointed out above, CO had a second round with the 747, this time after the Peoplexpress merger in 1987....PE had a fleet of five (again, I am no longer certain with the numbers) second hand 747s which it flew on its transcon and transatlantic routes......PE also flew the 747 on the EWR-DEN route for a short time after PE purchased Frontier One and was connecting its EWR hub and Denver hub. CO retained the 747s for several years after the merger, CO flew the 747s on some transatlantic services and eventually the 747s found their way to the CO Air Mike operation prior to being retired in the late 1990s, curiously, again in favor of DC10s which became the largest type in the newly reorganized CO fleet.
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
And back in the late 80s / early 90s CO flew the 747 EWR-LAX. This was in the very early days of their EWR hub. I flew on the evening 747 flight once. The plane was practically empty and I had the entire rear cabin to myself. Who needed First Class? 
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
| Quoting LY777 (Thread starter): I would like to know when and why CO retired the 747s from service. |
They were retired in '98 as they started taking delivery of their first 777-200ER's, at that time CO had 4 747-200s operating LAX-HNL , HNL-NRT, and Guam-NRT 2x daily.
[Edited 2005-12-05 02:50:43]
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
As a side note to this sunject, it was prestigious for an airline at the time (1970-75) to have 747's in their fleet. But after a few years experience with the type, they proved to be too expensive.
I was on a few of the original CO 747's. Nobody did the service on the 747 like CO. It was amazingly wonderful... No wonder CO did the F/A training for Hugh Hefner and his "Big Bunny" DC-9.
Even in the movie "Airport" (1970) behind the ticket counter is a large painting of a Trans-Global 747"......
I was on a few of the original CO 747's. Nobody did the service on the 747 like CO. It was amazingly wonderful... No wonder CO did the F/A training for Hugh Hefner and his "Big Bunny" DC-9.
Even in the movie "Airport" (1970) behind the ticket counter is a large painting of a Trans-Global 747"......
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
| Quoting IAH744 (Reply 1): PeoplExpress also had a fleet of Boeing 747-200 jets that were integrated into the orginal fleet. |
PE brought both 741s and 742s into the CO fleet
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
Photo of Continental 747 back in 1971
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Photo © George W. Hamlin
Photo of Continental 747 in PeoplExpress scheme
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Photo © Mark Durbin
I understand that some of their 747s came from Lufthansa and Qantas.
Photo © George W. Hamlin
Photo of Continental 747 in PeoplExpress scheme
Photo © Mark Durbin
I understand that some of their 747s came from Lufthansa and Qantas.
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
I'm pretty sure a couple of CO 747s are still for sale at Mojave.
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
After the merger with People express, CO ended up with the following (for 747's only)
2 - 747-143
2 - 747-243
4 - 747-238
Later around 1990-91, a ninth 747, (A/C 019) joined the fleet, it was a 747-230.
2 - 747-143
2 - 747-243
4 - 747-238
Later around 1990-91, a ninth 747, (A/C 019) joined the fleet, it was a 747-230.
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
| Quoting Candid76 (Reply 10): I'm pretty sure a couple of CO 747s are still for sale at Mojave. |
Those CO 747s were finally scrapped a year ago:
Photo © Michael Carter
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
#21 above was the first 747 I ever flew on (Mar 21, 1992 - IAH-LGW) when it was painted in the IMHO better colors!
It was my first jet trip which began Tul-IAH on A DC9.
Back to topic: I am not even sure any are left for sale. I think all 747s that left the fleet in the late 90s have since been scrapped. Some one else likely has better information. I do know that the 747 made (on many occasions) equipment substitutions to MEL and AKL (not sure if they were ever regularly scheduled, however).
Great topic! One that is near and dear to my heart!
It was my first jet trip which began Tul-IAH on A DC9.
Back to topic: I am not even sure any are left for sale. I think all 747s that left the fleet in the late 90s have since been scrapped. Some one else likely has better information. I do know that the 747 made (on many occasions) equipment substitutions to MEL and AKL (not sure if they were ever regularly scheduled, however).
Great topic! One that is near and dear to my heart!
RE: Continental Airlines 747s
How does Continental Micronesia count in the numbers above? Were they transferred from the mainline routes to Continental Micronesia? I know I flew from HNL to GUM in 92 on a Micronesia 747-200.
I also flew from EWR to MAD on a CO 747-200 in 93. Unfortunately, we were delayed 5 hours due to a mechanical.
I also flew from EWR to MAD on a CO 747-200 in 93. Unfortunately, we were delayed 5 hours due to a mechanical.
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
I had the misfortune of flyingthe Air Mike 747 from HNL to GUM. After 2 hours of delay (6 tires had to be replaced) we had a flight that you thought they were storing meat in - the a/c was working real well on that flight. Also, out of all the flights I have ever taken, I have never seen one with narrower seats. It was packed and not bit of space wasted. Nothing like the comfort I had on the DC-10 coming back. Sure was happy when they mothballed those things.
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RE: Continental Airlines 747s
| Quoting JetADude (Reply 13): I do know that the 747 made (on many occasions) equipment substitutions to MEL and AKL (not sure if they were ever regularly scheduled, however). |
Continental operated the 747 in the South Pacific after the merge with PE. The flight operated out of LAX on a daily basis as flight 001, first flying to HNL before heading to either AKL/SYD/MEL depending on the routing. The 747 would return to LAX two days later as flight 002.
For a time in the early 90's Continental operated the 747 on the IAH-LGW route as flights 004/005. Also, the 747 was used on the SEA-NRT and MIA-LGW runs.
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