Before the COVID-19 pandemic, BA … British Airways originally planned to retire the jumbo jets by 2024. Other airlines have already begun phasing the model out in favor of newer, more economical aircraft. “While the aircraft will always have a special place in our heart, as we head into the future we will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft,” BA said. BA said that the jumbo jets, one dressed in "Negus" design and the other bearing Chatham Dockyard livery, took to the skies "one after the other" from Heathrow's 27R runway. A special liveried Boeing 747 takes to the skies alongside the Red Arrows during the 2019 Royal International Air Tattoo on July 20, 2019. British Airways Boeing 747's at London Heathrow airport showing the new Chatham Dockyard tailfin design. I know I speak for our customers and the many thousands of colleagues who have spent much of their careers alongside them when I say we will miss seeing them grace our skies," he added. British Airways has been quietly retiring its 747-400s, shrinking from 57 in 2008 to 32 at the end of last year. But the pandemic, which has seen most of the world’s planes grounded for the best part of three months, has hastened its journey into retirement, especially as forecasters predict that passenger numbers will remain lower than normal, potentially for years to come. British Airways will remove 13 of its 747s that did not receive a cabin retrofit from its fleet over the next four years, the last exiting the fleet in Nov. 2022. But earlier this year, the company released a statement to say that the planes had likely flown their last scheduled commercial service -- despite recently refreshing the interiors of the planes having expected them to remain in service for several years. It is a heart-breaking decision to have to make," Alex Cruz, BA chairman and CEO, said in July following the announcement that the planes would be retired. Airlines around the world have struggled to cope with the collapse in demand caused by the pandemic. Well, we now have a better sense of what the future of the plane looks like. The oneworld alliance member is the world's largest operator of the 747-400 jumbo jet, with 31 in the fleet. In July 1989, BA took its first 747-400 -- the same model as flies today -- to the skies. Footage from Heathrow Airport this morning shows the huge planes jetting off for the very last time. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would examine the idea of a scrappage scheme for old and highly polluting aircraft. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all, Why this space age airplane could change flying forever, Last ever Airbus A380 superjumbo assembled in France. © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The original aircraft, which featured 27 First Class and 292 Economy seats, featured an upper deck containing a lounge. The original aircraft, which featured 27 First Class and 292 Economy seats, featured an upper deck containing a lounge. British Airways is retiring its 747s © NurPhoto / Getty Images Next time you're gazing out across the tarmac at Heathrow Airport, you're going to see a much different view – namely, a dearth of the 31 747 jumbo jets that have been a part of British Airways' fleet since July of 1989. While the airline c… But its heyday is long in the past and any sight of the jet, with its distinctive hump at the top, is now a rarity. The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), one of BA's predecessors, operated its first 747 London to New York flights in 1971. It’s actually the second 747 on the property, though the first has a pure-white exterior. BA’s predecessor, BOAC, first used the 747 in 1971 and as with many airlines, the plane — affectionately referred to as either the “jumbo jet” or the “queen of the skies” — became a symbol of the new age of mass travel to all corners of the planet. "The 747s have played a huge role in our 100-year history, forming the backbone of our fleet for over 50 years. Late last night British Airways sent an emotional communication to staff announcing the immediate early retirement of their fleet of 30 Boeing 747-400s. British Airways will remove 13 of its 747s that did not receive a cabin retrofit from its fleet over the next four years, the last exiting the fleet in Nov. 2022. The 747 is an incredibly special plane.It changed global aviation, and it’s also the most gorgeous plane in the world, in my opinion. The plane was the largest commercial aircraft in the world, until the arrival of the Airbus A380 in 2007. The decision to retire the aircraft ahead of schedule shows the scale of the ongoing reduction in demand seen by the company from the COVID-19 pandemic. British Airways sent an email to staff late last night confirming its plans to retire its entire fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft. British Airways had originally intended on retiring the 747 in 2024, however, due to the financial burden COVID-19 has caused, the double-decker aircraft is likely done flying. British Airway has announced that it will immediately retire its Boeing 747 fleet following the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. LONDON (AP) — The “queen of the skies” will no longer don the red, white and blue of the Union Jack after British Airways retired its fleet of Boeing 747s on Friday as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. "Today was an emotional milestone in the retirement of our 747 fleet as it was our last chance to see the Queen of the Skies depart from our home at Heathrow airport," Cruz said Thursday. “British Airways’ retirement of the 747 should be the impetus he needs to put such a scheme into action,” Unite national officer Rhys McCarthy said. In the U.K., British Airways, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic have all announced job cuts and reduced operations. Its days have been numbered, though, in light of new, modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as Airbus’ A350 and Boeing’s 787. The airline was forced to store all of its 28 747-400s due to reduced demand in the midst of the respiratory disease pandemic. British Airway retired the last of its huge. 18 aircraft have been retrofitted with fresh seat covers and new inflight entertainment systems and will continue to fly for the next few years, with the airline aiming to accelerate the retirement once the older aircraft depart the fleet by the end of 2022. British Airways Defends Its Decision To Retire 747 Matthew Klint November 4, 2020 6 Comments British Airways abruptly retired its fleet of Boeing 747-400 aircraft over the summer, blaming COVID-19. The airline brought forward the retirement of its fleet of 747-400 aircraft due to … Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. British Airways the latest of Boeing 747-400 retiree, G-CIVD, to an airport in Spain tomorrow as the airline begins the retirement of its final 31 jumbo jets. G-BNLA, the first one ever delivered, remained in the fleet until February 2018, when it was retired. British Airways began to phase out its jumbos in December 2011, with the retirement of two of the oldest frames. The announcement that BA is sending what remains of its 747-400 fleet into early retirement was expected, but still big news. “It is unlikely our magnificent ‘queen of the skies’ will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.”. BA said it was already "slowly" phasing out the "fuel-hungry" aircraft in order to help meet a commitment to "net zero by 2050.". British Airways retires its final 747 airplane | CNN Travel Unite, a union that represents many workers in the aviation industry, urged the government to use the retirement of the 747 to bring forward an aircraft scrappage scheme to boost investments in greener aircraft as well as aerospace manufacturing. British Airways’ 747-400s have a capacity of 345 passengers and can reach a top speed of 614 mph (988 kph). One of the airplanes, G-CIVY, circled back over the runway before flying to St. Athan, Wales, to be retired, while the other, G-CIVB, will be kept at Kemble, England. According to the carrier, the goal is to have the last Boeing 747-400 exit the fleet by Feb. 2024. But the newly-installed CEO now touts the decision as a huge boost to British Airways’ sustainability efforts. They plan to phase out the aircraft in stages, with half of their 747s being phased out by 2021. More than 1,500 jumbos were produced by Boeing, and it has historically been a commercial success for the manufacturer and the airlines. "This is not how we wanted or expected to have to say goodbye to our incredible fleet of 747 aircraft. BRITISH AIRWAYS has bid adieu to its iconic 747 aircraft. The airline notified staff via letter, and subsequently publicly confirmed, its intention to … It had 30 aircraft in its fleet prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The aircraft was also home to BA's' very first flat bed seat, which it introduced in 1999. Per FlightGlobal, IAG’s Chief Financial Officer has said that British Airways plans to retire their fleet of Boeing 747sby February 2024. British Airways announced earlier this year that it plans to retire all its 747 jets by 2024. The airline, which was the world’s biggest operator of the 747-400 model, had already planned to ground its fleet of 31 of the iconic wide-bodied jets in 2024. British Airways said the retirement of its jumbo jet fleet will start on Tuesday when the first of its 31 remaining Boeing 747s takes off from Heathrow and heads to Spain to be scrapped. British Airways is not the first to propose a retirement of the aging Boeing 747, specifically the 747-400 version, amid the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. When I think of the 747, two airlines come to mind — British Airways and Lufthansa. 18 aircraft have been retrofitted with fresh seat covers and new inflight entertainment systems and will continue to fly for the next few years, with the airline aiming to accelerate the retirement once the older aircraft depart the fleet by the end of 2022. Just 30 of the planes were in service as of Tuesday, with a further 132 in storage, according to aviation data firm Cirium. British Airways Announces Immediate Retirement of 747 Fleet. The final flight was live streamed on the airline's, There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. Other companies that have recently withdrawn the aircraft type from service include Australia’s Qantas and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. British Airways to retire its entire 747 fleet immediately British Airways intends to retire its entire 747 fleet ‘with immediate effect’, bringing forward the aircraft’s complete withdrawal by three years. We’ve seen airlines around the world retire the 747 long before the current pandemic, given that there are more fuel efficient and lower capacity long range planes nowadays.. The airline is one of the last major carriers to still use the 747. “It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect,” BA said in a statement. ‘Victor Delta’ is expected to fly from London Heathrow tomorrow and make its way to Castellon Airport, … British Airways is to immediately retire its entire fleet of Boeing 747 passenger aircraft due to falling demand in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/07/17/ Known as "Queen of the Skies" and popular among aviation fanatics, the Boeing airplane has fallen out of favor in recent years as airlines switch to more efficient smaller passenger jets. 747-400S due to reduced demand in the fleet until February 2018, when it was retired airport this shows. 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