Last United Boeing 737-322 will be Retired October 28th

United Airlines 737-322 (24228/1594) N333UA delivered to the

 carrier on 08/18/1988, taxies for a morning departure at

 John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA/KSNA).

(Photo by Michael Carter)

United Airlines will retire the last Boeing 737 jet from its fleet on Oct. 28. In a message issued to employees this morning, United says its "last Boeing 737 -- the beloved 'guppy' that served our airline and millions of customers well for more than 41 years -- will retire from revenue service at the end of October, in line with the fleet retirement plans announced in the fall of 2008."

United's final 737 flight will be on a 737-322 designated as United Flight 737. Its last day of service will begin with an early morning flight from Washington Dulles, with stops at Chicago O'Hare, Denver and Los Angeles before going on to San Francisco, where the airline will perform decommissioning work on the jet at its San Francisco maintenance base. Then, the jet will be transported to an airliner storage yard in Victorville, California.

The company also indicated that there could be some fanfare for its 737 sendoff. "Given that literally thousands of United's employees have touched these aircraft over the years, both above and below the wing, plans are being made for teams at each of the hubs to commemorate the event during the respective ground service times," United's memo reads. "Many of our customers, particularly those who are aviation enthusiasts and engage in the numerous online communities, are expected to fly on one or more of the segments, and special announcements and other activities are being planned for on board."

United called the retirement of its 737s "an important step forward," saying the "decision to retire all 94 of the B737s enabled (it) to take important proactive steps in reducing capacity at a time when fuel costs had hit record-high levels." United adds that the phaseout of the 737s – along with the retirement of six older Boeing 747 jets – has positioned it "at the forefront of the industry in adjusting capacity to help increase pricing power."

The carrier notes that the retirement of the 737s also will simplify its fleet, adding that the 737s had also been receiving the lowest customer satisfaction ratings among its narrowbody fleet. Going forward, United says current discussions with jetmakers Airbus and Boeing on replacing its Boeing 757 and widebody aircraft "is the next step leading to a more effective and efficient operating fleet for United in the years ahead."

(USA - Today in the Sky)