The pictured N672US… I’ve outlined five reasons, some stated, some conjecture on my part, to explain this unexpected move. Simple, really. Former United CEO and current executive chairman Oscar Munoz shared precisely why his company decided to retire the jet. United retired its fleet in November, and British Airways announced its plans to retire the last of its three dozen 747s in 2024. But now low-cost long-haul carriers like Norwegian have proven that passengers will not only tolerate it, but flock to it (if the price is right). Delta has only just begun retiring its B747 from service, but did so last month with the first of its B747 retirements after the aircraft flew from Tokyo Narita to Honolulu. Secondly, the older an aircraft becomes, the more maintenance it requires. In 1976, Singapore Airlines redesigned its first class upper-deck to create 'slumberettes' - 6 custom divans that turned into beds. When it comes to aircraft, the phrase “age ain’t nothing but a number” doesn’t really apply. The final commercial flight of a Boeing 747-400 operated by a US carrier hit the tarmac in Detroit today. The bulk of the fleet is old, and getting older. If you want to book a flight on one of Delta Air Lines' Boeing 747s, the clock is ticking. American carriers who used to operate the Boeing 747 included American Airlines, Delta and United. Delta has been american avgeeks last hope involving the queen. Both four engine aircrafts, the 747 and A380 have become an increasingly costly economic choice in an aviation environment where more efficient models such as the two engine Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 are available for long-haul flights. Another senior Delta captain, Paul Gallaher, was making his final flight, too. Not only is the actual labo… Thai Airways has a fleet of seven 747-400 aircraft. The older an aircraft gets, the more costly it becomes to operate. Delta Capt. It carried on using its 747-400s right up until 2017. According to Investopedia, fuel accounts for 10-12% of operating expenses. Delta. Delta isn’t the only airline retiring the plane this year in favor of newer, cheaper, more fuel-efficient alternatives. Delta Air Lines marked the retirement of its Boeing 747s this week with a six-city tour, the last U.S. airline to retire the jumbo jet. Delta Air Lines is giving customers and employees a chance to fly on the Boeing 747 before the carrier retires the fleet. And with DL only … Delta Air Lines Inc. retired its first Boeing 747-400 aircraft Sept. 9 after its final flight from Honolulu International Airport to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta, the only remaining U.S. passenger airline to fly the 747, is retiring the plane from its fleet and taking the “Queen of the Skies” on a farewell tour with a stop in Atlanta. ", There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. But this departure on ship 6314 was the true grand finale. The decision was announced in a memo to its pilots on Wednesday. The planes are at a 'boneyard' in Arizona, a salvage facility where planes are sent to be stored. The reason behind this short-notice decision for an early retirement is the Coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis and resulting travel restrictions around the world. Delta retired its last 747 passenger plane in January, marking the final flight by a U.S. carrier. I later confirmed January by looking on Delta.com. According to Bastian, the decision was made due to the drop in travel demand caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Today Delta retired the first Boeing 747-400 aircraft ever built for a commercial airline, after its final flight from Honolulu to Atlanta. Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. United retired its last 747 in November, leaving only Delta. The airliner originally planned to retire its fleet of Boeing 747s in late 2020 but the coronavirus pandemic forced the plans to be brought forward by six months. Delta Air Lines announced plans to retire 25% of its 747 fleet in 2014. Last edited by blacksoviet on Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total. We don’t have a date yet for the phaseout, but we know the day of the final flight of a unique 747 model that KLM is the only airline flying in the world: a half-cargo, half-passenger hybrid known as the Combi. It took a full 15 minutes to walk around the 231-foot, 10-inch long jumbo. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. RIP my queen. USER_MINI_PROFILE. The final resting place for “Victor Delta” will be Castellon de la Plana (CDT) in Spain, where she is scheduled to arrive at 1:06 p.m. local time To follow her final journey, click here. According to Business Insider, he explained that it had started to become a struggle to maintain. Delta Air Lines became the last major US airline to operate the 747. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is bringing forward the retirement of its last few Boeing 747 passenger aircraft amid the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. These aircraft are all less than 12 years old. Those retirements accelerated as Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus's A350, which Hanlon will fly next, came along. The 747 had two stints with Delta. On Saturday, the Dutch flag-carrier published a general overview on how it will handle the current crisis. The Atlanta-based airline currently operates 16 747-400 aircraft. KLM first introduced the 747 in 1971, at that time a 747-200, and was therefore originally planning to end its history with the aircraft type exactly 50 years later, in 2021. Delta Plans to Celebrate the Retirement of Their 747-400 Fleet. Gallaher, Hanlon's friend of more than 30 years, was a first officer on the first 747-400 delivered to Northwest Airlines in 1989. After 27 years of service — first with Northwest Airlines — then with Delta after the two airlines merged in 2008, it was time to retire Ship 6301 last year. Furthermore, three Airbus A340-300, which were operated by Lufthansa Cityline, would also be retired permanently. The bulk of the fleet is old, and getting older. In many ways, it was a symbol of the beginning of mass air travel, offering anywhere from just over 400 to more than 600 seats, depending on the cabin configuration. Northwest later merged with Delta. That said, when the 747-100 first debuted with its iconic, double-decker shape in 1969, it was nothing short of an aviation revolution. Six minutes later, the 18 wheels on the 747 touched the pavement on the runway and the half-million pound airliner rolled to a stop passing the long row of Delta 747s already in retirement. These are the core obsessions that drive our newsroom—defining topics of seismic importance to the global economy. Delta has only just begun retiring its B747 from service, but did so last month with the first of its B747 retirements after the aircraft flew from Tokyo Narita to Honolulu. Both Delta and United Airlines have been saying goodbye to the jumbo for months. So once we get on the ground, you're going to feel the deceleration.". "Eight thousand [feet] makes us pucker," said Hanlon. A three-hour-and-33-minute journey from Atlanta. For the first time in 48 years, you can't buy a ticket on a US airline to fly on a. #22492123. A final domestic revenue flight, a last international trip, a final charter. UA857. Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) as planned, retired three ex-Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-400s on September 30: N671US (fleet number 6311) performed its last revenue flight on September 30 from Paris (CDG) to Detroit as flight DL 99. Why would Delta retire this iconic long-range aircraft that it only recently retrofitted with new seats? Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced on Thursday that the airline will permanently retire its Boeing 777 fleet by the end of the year. Seahawk celebrates too soon, loses TD at goal line. Gallaher, 64, was retiring with the 747 fleet. the 747 isn't as fuel efficient as cost effective as some other aircraft such as the 777 and the 787. Pan American Airways debuted the enormous two-deck airliner in January 1970, and flights by US passenger airlines have been flying uninterrupted ever since. Delta Air Lines said it plans to further accelerate the retirement of its Boeing 747 fleet. Tour a Boeing 747 at the Delta Flight Museum. Flight computers with green type on black screens and blocks of backup gauges with spinning needles have long been obsolete. Why did Delta retire the 737-700? "Everybody stands up at the terminal and goes to the glass and they go 'that's a 747'," said Capt. 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 Atlanta-based airline first announced plans to stop flying the 747 in 2014. Reviewing paperwork, programming the flight computers and ensuring the jumbo would perform just as it would on any normal flight. "This is going to be a Navy landing," said Hanlon, a reference to the hard landings required to stop a fighter jet on the small deck of an aircraft carrier. Delta plans to retire its 18 widebody Boeing 777s by the end of 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a beautiful ode to the aircraft written by pilot and author Mark Vanhoenacker in the New York Times in October, he explained how: For pilots, crew members and passengers who love the 747, it’s easy to forget that the airliner was first of all a business proposition, one that aimed to harness economies of scale and a raft of new technologies to cut the seat-per-mile cost of air travel by about 30 percent. Air China has three Boeing 747-400s and seven Boeing 747-8Is. As part of its plan to retire its aging Boeing 747-400 fleet in the next few years, Qantas Airways has sent another one of its 747s to the Mojave Desert for a permanent rest. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. On Thursday, Delta separately announced significant cutbacks to its Pacific operations. Boeing's (BA) 747 jets have been replaced by other narrow-body and cost-effective jets, such as the 777 and 787, and Airbus' A330 and A350 jets, over the years. The global 747 fleet peaked at more than 1,000 in 1998. Paul Gallaher was retiring with the final flight of Delta's Boeing 747 fleet. Delta has announced their plans to retire the last of their 747 fleet by 2017. These planes are typically operated on long-haul international flights and are equipped with some of the best of Delta’s business elite seats. The 747-400, a 1980s technology update to the jumbo, dates itself. Many came out to bid the plane farewell, even on an unusually cold Atlanta winter morning. MIAMI — Delta Air Lines took delivery of its very last factory-fresh Boeing aircraft—the 130th 737-900(ER) to join its fleet.From now on, what used to be one of Boeing’s largest customers, has only scheduled for delivery brand-new Airbus planes. We don’t have a date yet for the phaseout, but we know the day of the final flight of a unique 747 model that KLM is the only airline flying in the world: a half-cargo, half-passenger hybrid known as the Combi. The airline retired its last 747 in 2012. of . Before the final touchdown, the 747 would swoop low over the desert runway. The retirement will accelerate the airline’s strategy to simplify and modernize its fleet, while continuing to operate newer, more cost-efficient aircraft. That’s 30 years ago. Delta sent its final 747 to retirement in Arizona with one last party in the sky. The remaining 747s still in the air that are operated by US airlines are represented by a few charter jets and cargo operators. Delta employees, customers and aviation enthusiasts have been eagerly flying the airline’s remaining Boeing 747-400s since Delta said in 2014 that it would retire the Queen of the Skies at the end of 2017. Posts: 547; Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:41 am; USER_STATUS: OFF_LINE; Re: Why did Delta retire NWA's 747-200F? #21202753. While international carriers British Airways, Lufthansa, and Korean Air will still continue to fly the jumbo jets for passenger flights for some time, Delta’s retirement of the 747 signals the end of an era of sorts—one that’s been a long time coming. British Airways has said it will retire all of its Boeing 747s as it suffers from the sharp travel downturn. The retirement marks the end of a 50-year relationship between BA and the 747, ... (recreating the route of its first 747 service in 1970). Many bought jumbo 747s because of their incredible endurance. The airline had originally planned to retire the Boeing 747 jets by 2024 and gradually replace them, but with passenger numbers plummeting due to coronavirus they have been forced to … British Airways retired its last two Boeing Co. 747 airliners, marking the end of the line for one of the largest fleets of the iconic jumbos. Six Airbus A380 double-deckers, seven Airbus A340-600 and five Boeing 747-400 aircraft would not return to the airline’s fleet. So I enjoyed the heck out of my one flight on the top deck of a 747. Gallaher made the first commercial landing of the 747-400 when it arrived at the airline's then-headquarters in Minneapolis after delivery from Boeing. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to retire older A320s instead? "We'd like to welcome you to the boneyard," said Stephanie Nelson the trip's lead flight attendant. That’s 30 years ago. Photo: Delta Air Lines Hard to maintain. Capt. Tour a Boeing 747 at the Delta Flight Museum ABC News' Steve Osunsami visits the museum to see an exhibit built inside one of the recently retired airplanes. When I think of the 747, two airlines come to mind — British Airways and Lufthansa. According to Business Insider, he explained that it had started to become a struggle to maintain. Critics go ballistic over 'Notorious A.C.B' T-shirts The 747 had two stints with Delta. The 747 "stops on a dime. There are still 185 flying paying passengers around the world, according to. Delta retired the prototype on Sept. 9, 2015, after it had logged 61 million miles. Delta Air Lines Boeing 747-400s sit in the desert awaiting their fate after being retired from the airline's fleet. Delta ordered the Boeing 737-900(ER) three times—100 planes in August 2011, further 20 in December 2015, and 10 more in April 2017. The decision was announced in a memo to its pilots on Wednesday. "Jerking gear" is a pilot euphemism for flying co-pilot and controlling the landing gear. "He had the first landing and I'm going to have the last landing," said Hanlon, who has been a 747 captain since spring 2000, Gallaher was just a few months ahead. Delta Air Lines. Six minutes later, the 18 wheels on the 747 touched the pavement on the runway and the half-million pound airliner rolled to a stop passing the long row of Delta 747s already in retirement. By comparison, one of the longest runways at Narita Airport in Tokyo is more than 13,000 feet long, while tiny LaGuardia Airport in New York City is 7,000 feet. Delta. The Rock gives his first-ever presidential endorsement. Delta Airlines flight 158 arrived from Seoul just before the aircraft embarks on its farewell tour, with stops in Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles later this this week. The global movement of people isn’t slowing down. Why did Delta retire the 737-700? The remaining seven will be retired in 2017. The UK airline is the world's largest operator of the jumbo jets, with 31 in the fleet. Stephen Hanlon, 62, Delta's chief 747 pilot, who was in command of the final flight. The planes are at a 'boneyard' in Arizona, a salvage facility where planes are sent to be stored. United Airlines will retire its fleet of Boeing 747-400 jumbo jets by the end of 2017. That's when smaller twin-engine jets like the Boeing 777 really began filling fleets. #22492123. of . On the whole, commercial airlines have been phasing out jumbo jets like the 747 in favor of leaner, more efficient aircrafts. According to several media reports, KLM will retire its 747s in 2021. On the 747’s upper deck, another Delta flight attendant stood, taking in the moment with friends and co-workers. The 747 was a marvel of engineering when it first flew months before the first moon landing in 1969. It only announced the retirement in the summer of 2014 when it said it would use the Airbus A350 and A330neo to replace the 747s. British Airways has a fleet of eight Boeing 747-400 aircraft would not return to drop. Caused loss of cargo demand desert awaiting their fate after being retired from the sharp travel.! 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