United Will Retire Part of 727-200 Fleet

United Airlines, the world’s largest air carrier, will retire a third of its Boeing 727-200 aircraft fleet in 2001, a year earlier than expected, in an effort to counteract the effects of higher fuel and labor costs, parent UAL Corp. said. It said retiring the 25 planes will restrain growth in capacity next year. United also said it ordered 13 new Airbus aircraft in a deal valued at roughly $650 million to replace some of the 727s. UAL shares fell 31 cents to close at $35.38 on the New York Stock Exchange. Chicago-based United, which currently has 75 727-200s, said it expects to retire the rest of them by the end of 2003. The average 727-200 of United’s fleet is 21 years old.