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United Airlines Boeing 757s’ Days Numbered

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United's SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances has confirmed that its entire fleet of 757s will be replaced by Airbus A321XLRs. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

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1simpson
Bill Simpson 50
A beautiful work of aeronautical engineering. Performance, efficiency, and semi-wide body comfort. And one of the first ‘quiet’ aircraft. Boeing should have modernized this instead of trying to make ‘whatever the Max is’ to fly like a 737. It takes a while, but allowing finance to overrule engineering eventually takes its toll. IMHO, of course.
Propwash122
Peter Fuller 3
Agreed, all good points, though “semi-wide body comfort” is a bit of an illusion: the 757 has the same 1950s-design fuselage width as all other Boeing single-aisle airliners - 707, 720, 727, and the much-maligned on this forum 737.
DavidEmery
David Emery 4
But if I remember right, 757 had larger luggage bins than 737, particularly the earlier 737s. So yeah, single aisle, but still a different overall cabin.
mgsegal
Mark Segal 32
This is a huge commercial defeat for Boeing. Should be a jolting wake-up call, if they haven't had enough already.
aramsay1
Andrew Ramsay 19
Unfortunately, Boeing continues to sleepwalk to whatever its end will be. They continue to ignore their most fundamental problems, of which there are many.
mbrews
mbrews 10
Agree. Boeings offering is a 737 Max 10, which IMO might never be licensed. Certifications, if any, will take months or years from now
MichaelColucci
Not sure what kind of wakeup call one needs when they have been asleep for 20 years.

Sad to see another one of the great US companies fall prey to one terrible management decision after another, sitting now with a deer in the headlights look. I read a statement somewhere they were waiting for technology. Yeah, great plan.

"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." - General George Patton
ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 2
Boeing should have never bought McDonnel Douglass. All their troubles boil down to that purchase.
Metikulus
Ammaar Ashraf 23
75 was a STOL aircraft for the airline industry. Didn't need much runway for takeoff with the wing it had, and overpowered engines. Didn't need much for landing with a double bogey for extra braking power.

Single-engine fully loaded, bags, peeps, fuel, and all, it could still climb about a 1000 fpm. Impressive.

Boeing didn't need a clean sheet aircraft for 75 replacement. Just newer efficient engines and newer avionics would have been sufficient. Nothing wrong with the airframe.

Miss the old bird. 
FaisalNahian
Faisal Nahian 6
I concur 100%!
jkeifer3
Joe Keifer 18
The 75 was always my favorite aircraft due to its incredible performance on take off.
jmadunleavy
John D 10
It always seemed it did not need much runway to take off.
jkeifer3
Joe Keifer 10
Once I asked a pilot for Northwest what the maximum rate of climb for the 757 was. If I recall correctly, he said over 7,000 fpm.
Shadows
Shadows 15
B757 it could cross the pond to Europe or Hawaii - go in and out of Eagle with a good load even in the summer. The B737 has out of date systems and it's not the flier the the B757 is - sorry SWA. I did miss the 707 and the 747 but spent thousands of hours in all the other Boeing jets through the 787 before my government said I had to retire.
After thousands of hours in the B757-200 & -300 as well as IP, CheckAirman, and FAA Examiner, Next to the Triple 7 it was my favorite. Sorry to see it go.
DavidEmery
David Emery 5
No MCAS on the 757 :-) :-)
brunswickheads
Neale Ferguson 14
I'll miss seat 7A. Used to take the daytime flight IAD-LHR so it allowed you to stretch out and to disembark first.
DavidEmery
David Emery 9
Yeah, I called that the "cold feet seat" because there was a bit of chill from around the door...
DavidEmery
David Emery 12
My favorite 757 story was a landing at EWR. We were lined up heading south (22L?), it was bumpy with crosswinds. We suddenly veered left towards NYC (nice view of the city out the window). I thought "OK, we're going around, or maybe pattern change." Then the aircraft banked sharply to the right and we lined up onto 29. As soon as the wheels touched, it was full reversers (right name?) into a significant headwind. I remember thinking "Oh my God, we're going to cross Rt 1 and end up in the brewery!" :-)
khomenko
Alex K 3
It happened to me once too! It was awesome. I flew lots of SFO-EWR red-eyes for a few years a while back (hello 21D!), so while I am not 100% certain, chances are it was a 757.
fdb912
Frank Barrett 7
Here, let me edit that for you:

United Airlines operates more than 970 aircraft in its mainline fleet, a mix of older and newer planes. They still operate a number of older birds, heavily relying on their Boeing 757s and 767s for transatlantic and transcontinental routes.

The Boeing 757 has proven very useful because of its high power-to-weight ratio and small cabin. It can comfortably service less-trafficked European fields that a 767 might be too big for.

Unfortunately the 757s are quite old, averaging 25 years, United's oldest batch being just over 30 years old. While they perform well in the markets they serve, their age shows; they spend a lot of time in the maintenance hangars.

With no direct Boeing replacement, United decided to order 50 Airbus A321XLRs, which boast an operating range of 4,700 nautical miles (about 11 hours non-stop). Of course these numbers may vary depending on United’s choice of configuration, but these aircraft are set to completely replace the carrier’s fleet of 61 Boeing 757s.

United’s Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances, Patrick Quayle, said that their upcoming A321XLRs will eventually take over all of the carrier’s 757 routes, and he expects the first XLR to be delivered in December 2025.

The A321XLRs are expected to operate mostly on international routes, focusing on small but important markets. Still, routes such as those to the Hawaiian islands and the Newark to Lima run may see continued 757 service or maybe a swap to a different aircraft, as United doesn’t plan to use XLRs for those flights soon.

“We use the 757 to fly to smaller markets like Tenerife, Spain, and Reykjavik.

“The 757 is getting a bit uneconomical, but we want to continue flying to these cities, and the A321XLR is longer-ranged and has much better fuel-burn and maintenance costs.”
phurford
Paul Hurford 6
This is a real heart breaker simply because the Boeing 757 is my favorite commercial airplane. Anytime I had the opportunity to fly on a 757 i'd do it. They are aesthetically pleasing, standing tall and powerful. When American Airlines serviced SNA, I flew on 757's several times a month. Take off on those 757's was quite the experience. Noise abatement over Newport and Balboa meant a fast powerful clime then level off quickly as it headed out towards Catalina. That was an amazing experience. Why Boeing never updated the 757 and put all of their marbles on the 737 still troubles me. Frankly, I'd rather fly on a MD-80 than that FLUF any day of the week.
literide57
Kenneth Nagel 6
Damn, that's really sad news, but it was going to happen eventually I guess ....
pjpete
pjpete 5
I remember an early morning departure from SNA to ORD on a UA 757 back in 2002. We launched like a rocket up and out and over the the water in no time. It was fantastic!
Nino69
Nino69 3
She had a ramp presence like no other aircraft and the 757 was the aircraft I flew my Million Mile flight.
Charleshboyd
Charles Boyd 3
Always loved being a 757 passenger!!
gtnielsen
Garry Nielsen 2
Too bad. The 757 was a nice ride!
MichaelOMeara
Michael OMeara 2
Will the USAF & FedEX be next?
snow
James Cox 4
Unlikely, FedEX is still acquiring 757s pretty sure. Remember they only retired the 727 in 2013.
Philbytx
Phil C 2
Besides the 74, the 75 was my favorite Boeing bird. Aggressive profile, like a raptor in flight and with great performance.You could, almost, stand it on its tail.
N78KV
Allan Ward 1
Gone like a '59 Cadillac, Like all the good things, that ain't never comin' back
grandpa07
Gary Berrian 1
The B757 was a workhorse for UAL and many other carriers. Eastern was the first user of 757's in the US with Rollers. The PW 2040 was one of the most reliable engines and is used on the C-32 VP fleet.
Mechanics and Pilots loved this aircraft for its dependable engines and airframe and on time departures.
Years ago Boeing and United were the same company and now a sad day with Airbus replacements.


Cheers,
GB
Bursk
Randall Bursk 1
Congrats on retirement

[This poster has been suspended.]

hanrunze666
Raymond Han 1
More like America
Nooge
Nooge 0
That is what red hat colt 45rs like you and Overdue say

America is Great

[This comment was deleted.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 2
Boeing's problems began because of it buying McDonnel Douglass. McDonnel Douglass was a failing company, and its corporate culture infected Boeing. The joke in Seattle was that McDonnel Douglas bought Boeing with Boeing's money.
Bursk
Randall Bursk 2
Nothing to do with parties. Just individuals.
df1sp
HP Baumeister 1
One of those - we don’t need your convoluted political views here

[This poster has been suspended.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 1
Nice to see how well the right's lies and propaganda has worked on you. 40 years of propaganda from the right have left its followers uneducated and easy to control.

[This poster has been suspended.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 2
Trump is the master of word salads, and is just as much in decline as Biden is. Harris actually makes sense, Trump does not. Trump was the one who caused this inflation with about $6 trillion in COVID stimulus checks, Biden's share was only $3 trillion.

Trump is Putin's sock puppet. He even asked Putin if he should give Ukraine weapons.

[This poster has been suspended.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 0
Trump tried to act as if COVID didn't exist. Everything you accuse Biden of was actually caused by Trump.

[This poster has been suspended.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 1
So, are you saying a vice president has the same power as a president? The VP is just a figure head with a small handful of responsibilities.
jmadunleavy
John D 2
I’ve heard it’s hard to get out of a cult.

[This poster has been suspended.]

ShirBlackspots
Charles Ball 3
Washington DC has nothing to do with the downfall of Boeing. Boeing buying McDonnel Douglass is where its problems began, because McDonnel Douglass' corporate culture infected Boeing. Of course, MAGA is ignorant of history thanks to 40 years of propaganda from the right.
birtsjoe
Joe Birts 0
Sorry, but I've always found the 757 to be a crappy aircraft to fly in. The fact that United is dumping the old Continental planes is great news for passengers. A 5 hour flight on a plane that rattles like a Model T is torture. Although, I don't care much for the Scarebus replacement. Perhaps United should replace its' foot in the mouth CEO.

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