United Airlines will retire its 747 fleet in
2017, a year earlier than the carrier previously announced. United's fleet plan
can cover the 747 retirements and route growth, president Scott Kirby wrote in
a blog post. United first flew the Boeing 747, known as the Queen of the Skies,
between California and Hawaii in 1970, but widebody models have overtaken the
aircraft in cost- and fuel-efficiency and reliability, he wrote. United and
Delta are the only U.S. carriers still using 747s, and Delta also plans to retire
its 747 fleet this year.