Featured Map for 14 May 2023:
Farewell to United's First Airbus

United's first Airbus (N401UA, an A320-232 delivered 24 November 1993) made its last revenue flight last Sunday (7 May 2023). Two days later, a ferry flight from Chicago O'Hare to Tupelo diverted back to Chicago; the retirement flight was completed a day later.

Its 29.5-year career included just over three years flying as part of Ted, United's short-lived low-cost brand.

(I have a personal connecton with N401UA as it was the first narrow-body Airbus aircraft on which I flew, and only my second Airbus. I did it in style, in seat 1A for UA 149 ORD-SFO on 27 December 1994, just 13 months after delivery.)

Today's Featured Map shows N401UA's last 30 days of revenue flying, encompassing 39 airports over 114 flights. Careful viewers will notice that Pittsburgh appears without any connections—PIT was a diversion on a flight from México City to Washington Dulles on 22 April 2023.

References and additional information:

• United Airlines
• Planespotters.net
  • N401UA United Airlines Airbus A320-232
  • Ted Fleet Details and History