Last week, United Airlines announced that it will cease its service of the Boeing 747 aircraft by the end of 2017; one year earlier than originally planned. The remaining 20 aircraft in operation will be phased out throughout the year. United’s announcement, while shocking, is not unexpected. Over the last few years other airlines have moved away from the large, four-engine aircraft to more cost-effective and fuel-efficient options. Cathay Pacific retired its fleet of 747s last year, and KLM has recently announced that it will be greatly reducing its fleet as well. Delta, the only other US carrier to use the 747, announced it will also retire its fleet by the end of 2017. The decision to move away from the four-engine aircraft has put the future of the jumbo jet in jeopardy. Boeing has announced that it might cease operations on the 747 altogether, as only six have been ordered since July 2016.