#boeing777

Boeing 777-200ER British Airways

Registration: G-VIIG Type: 777-236ER Engines: 2 × GE GE90-85B Serial Number: 27489 First flight: Mar 31, 1997

In March, I wrote about the Boeing 747-400 at British Airways – an aircraft that was the face of the British flag in the skies for four decades, until it left the fleet in 2020. Today's story is about its contemporary, born six years later, which continues to fly to this day. This is the Boeing 777-200.

British Airways ordered the 777-200 back in 1991, when the aircraft existed only on paper. The airline received its first aircraft, registered G-ZZZC, on 12 November 1995, and commercial service began on 17 November. This was the first Boeing 777 in history to be fitted with General Electric GE90 engines – BA became the launch operator of this powerplant. For subsequent aircraft, the airline used Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines.

The type's entry into service was not without turbulence. Due to gearbox bearing wear issues, British Airways temporarily withdrew the 777 from transatlantic routes in 1997, returning the aircraft to service only by the end of the year. Nevertheless, as early as February 1997 the airline received its first Boeing 777-200ER – the extended-range version that would go on to become the backbone of its entire widebody fleet.

This is where the key difference between the two aircraft lies. The Boeing 747-400 was a four-engine giant, designed in an era when transoceanic flights demanded the reliability margin of extra engines. The Boeing 777-200, by contrast, was built from the outset as a twin-engine aircraft relying on ETOPS certification. Upon entry into service, it was already granted ETOPS-180 approval – an unprecedented vote of confidence in twin-engine reliability for 1995.

This is precisely what shaped the diverging fates of the two aircraft. The 747-400 required more fuel and more maintenance – four engines instead of two had a tangible impact on flight economics. When the 2020 pandemic sharply accelerated decisions that airlines had already been putting off, British Airways parted ways first with its four-engine veterans: the "Jumbo's" final flight took place in June 2020.

The 777-200 came through the same period differently. It's true that British Airways retired its five pure -200 variants (without the ER designation) even earlier, in January 2020. That same G-ZZZC ended its career having flown nearly 50 million miles and carried more than 3.8 million passengers. But the 777-200ER remained in service, and to this day continues to be the workhorse of British Airways' long-haul routes – alongside the newer 777-300ER.

The reason is simple: the economics of the twin-engine long-haul aircraft proved so compelling that this very concept shaped the face of aviation for decades to come. It's no coincidence that to replace not only the 747-400 but also some 777-200, British Airways chose the next generation of the same family – the Boeing 777-9, deliveries of which are expected in 2027.

And so the paths of two models, born just six years apart, diverged in different directions: one became a symbol of a bygone era, the other proof that the twin-engine long-haul concept, laid down in the 1980s, proved remarkably resilient.

Boeing 777-300ER United Airlines

Registration: N2142U Type: 777-322ER Engines: 2 × GE GE90-115B Serial Number: 63722 First flight: May 11, 2017

In 2010, the aviation world witnessed one of the largest mergers in industry history: United Airlines and Continental Airlines joined forces under a single brand. The outcome of negotiations was unexpected — United kept its name, but inherited Continental's look. That is why aircraft bearing the "United" livery began sporting a tail adorned with a golden globe on a dark blue background — the signature mark of an entirely different airline.

That golden globe is more than just a striking emblem. It was created by the agency Lippincott for Continental back in the 1990s and became one of the most recognizable tails in the sky. For United loyalists, the decision was painful: the legendary "Tulip" logo designed by Saul Bass — the airline's symbol since the 1970s — was gone for good. For Continental employees, however, keeping the globe was a gesture of respect, an acknowledgment that their culture and heritage had not simply vanished into the new corporate structure. The hybrid livery earned the unofficial nickname "United-Continental": the typeface and name from United, the tail from Continental.

United's first Boeing 777-300ERs entered service in 2017, wearing this hybrid livery from the start. The wide-body giant replaced the legendary "Jumbo" — the Boeing 747, which had been the symbol of long-haul flight for decades. The 777-300ER in United-Continental colors turned out to be something of a swan song for that livery. As early as 2019, United unveiled its modern Evo-Blue scheme, reimagining the globe in a new color palette. That said, United has been in no rush to repaint its entire fleet at once.

Aircraft are repainted during scheduled maintenance, returning to service in a fresh look. The process itself is a genuine craft: hundreds of liters of specialized paint, meticulous surface masking, and anywhere from 10 to 14 days of painstaking work.

Today, every aircraft still wearing the old livery is becoming a rarity, disappearing from airport ramps year by year. Spotting a 777-300ER with the golden Continental tail is growing ever harder. It is a true stroke of luck for any spotter — and a living reminder of the day two airlines agreed to share the sky.

Boeing 777-200ER United Airlines

Registration: N57016 Type: 777-224ER Engines: 2 × GE GE90-92B Serial Number: 28679 First flight: Apr 25, 2000

United Airlines entered Boeing 777 history even before the aircraft's first flight. Of course, seven other airlines also participated in the development of this model. But it was United that became the launch customer of the program in 1990, actively participating in the development of the new airliner's concept. United engineers worked side by side with Boeing specialists, defining requirements for the cockpit, ergonomics, and onboard systems.

The first Boeing 777-200 in United livery took to the skies in May 1995, a month after type certification, and on June 7th performed its first commercial flight on the London-Washington route. In subsequent years, United expanded its fleet of "Triple Sevens," ordering both the baseline 777-200 version and the long-range 777-200ER with extended range.

United Airlines' Boeing 777-200 operates predominantly on long-haul international routes. The main hubs from which these aircraft depart are Newark Liberty International Airport, San Francisco, and O'Hare in Chicago.

From Newark, the 777-200 regularly performs flights to Europe: London, Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, as well as routes to Tel Aviv and Mumbai. San Francisco serves as a gateway to East Asia: from here, the "Triple Sevens" fly to Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney. The Chicago hub serves both European and Asian destinations.

Interestingly, United sometimes uses the 777-200 on domestic routes as well, especially during peak seasons or when there are technical issues with other aircraft. Passengers flying from San Francisco to New York or from Los Angeles to Honolulu may unexpectedly find themselves aboard a wide-body giant.

Boeing 777-300 Transaero

Registration: EI-XLP Type: 777-312 Engines: 2 × RR Trent 892-17 Serial Number: 28531 First flight: Sep 10, 1999

Transaero was established on November 5, 1991. During a transformative period in Russia, marked by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the transition to a market economy, new opportunities emerged for private enterprises. Unlike the state-owned Aeroflot, Transaero positioned itself as an independent carrier focused on innovation and customer-centric service. Its initial flights were operated on leased Il-86 and Tu-154 aircraft, primarily serving charter routes such as Moscow–Tel Aviv and Moscow–Kyiv.

By the early 2000s, Transaero introduced Boeing 767 and Boeing 747 aircraft, solidifying its role in long-haul routes. The Boeing 737 series became the workhorses for regional and medium-haul flights, offering flexibility in the route network. The airline also operated Russian-made Tu-214 and Tu-204 aircraft, supporting domestic aviation manufacturing.

By 2010, Transaero’s route network spanned over 250 destinations across Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. The airline became a leader in popular tourist destinations such as Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic.

A prominent place in the fleet was held by the Boeing 777-300, introduced in 2012. These wide-body aircraft, previously operated by Singapore Airlines, offered a high level of comfort with spacious cabins and ergonomic seating. They served key international routes, including Moscow–New York, Moscow–Bangkok, and Moscow–Punta Cana, reinforcing Transaero’s reputation as a world-class carrier.

Despite its successes, Transaero began facing financial challenges in 2014. Efforts to restructure and secure investors, including negotiations with Aeroflot for a potential acquisition, were unsuccessful. In October 2015, Rosaviatsia revoked Transaero’s operating certificate, leading to the cessation of flights. Transaero’s closure marked the largest bankruptcy in Russian aviation history, sparking widespread public discussion.