What would be the typical age of the United Airlines 747-422 flying from ORD-PEK daily???

Question

does the interior of the plane show the age (i.e. quality of the seats)??? and does the age of the plane affect the overall flight safety of the flight??

thanks, i know this question might be a little dumb but its my first time flying and i am just curious, thanks

Answer 1

No 747-400 is more than 20 years old, and the youngest are barely over one year old.  The aircraft was in production from 1988 to 2007.

The age of an aircraft has no influence on the safety of the flight, since aircraft are very rigorously maintained compared to things like cars.  As long as they are properly maintained, they can fly for decades.  Airlines replace aircraft when something newer and more efficient becomes more cost-effective, or when the cost of maintenance rises too high (extremely old planes cost more to maintain than brand-new planes).

A twenty-year-old airplane is still a teenager in aviation terms, and a five-year-old airplane is just a toddler.

Answer 2

The aircraft you will be flying will be less than 20 years old. The first B-747-400 was delivered to Northwest Airlines on January 26, 1989, and United did not get theirs until after that.

United keeps the interiors looking good, and any seat covers are replaced whenever necessary.

When these expensive aircraft need anything, they get it. Safety is United's first priority, and always has been. You will be much safer on the aircraft that in the vehicle that gets you to the airport.

Enjoy your flight.

Regards,

Dan

PS If you want to, ask the flight crew how old your B-747 is and they will tell you. The pilots will know as it is in the log book that they keep.