Nearly half a century after its launch, the Boeing 747 will make its last passenger flight in the US today, on Delta Air Lines’ Seoul-Detroit route.
Delta also has special flights tomorrow, for employees and VIP customers. Fares for flights on this “goodbye tour” have skyrocketed thanks to customer demand.
However, the 747 will still operate for Lufthansa (Germany), British Airways (UK) and Korean Air Lines (Korea). Boeing also still produces the plane for cargo and for some special customers, like the President of the United States.
The Boeing 747 was the largest passenger plane in the world at launch. (Photo: AFP).
“The 747 made it possible for everyone to fly,” said Michael Lombardi, director of history at Boeing. “It gave wings to the world.” Aviation consultant – Michel Merluzeau says the plane has changed the way people travel: “Suddenly, you can go from Singapore to London in less than 24 hours. It makes everything so easy. more accessible”.
The Boeing 747, nicknamed the “jumbo jet” because of its distinctive large hump, was once the world’s largest passenger plane, with four engines with a capacity of up to 600 passengers. Regarded as the “Queen of the Sky” , the 747 entered service in 1969, kicking off the long-haul era with its twin-aisle wide-body jet.
“The 747 is a huge milestone in the history of aviation,” commented Bob Van der Linden, curator at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum . stairs too. 747 is a symbol of economic power.”
With more than 1,500 orders for all lines, the Boeing 747 is one of the best-selling aircraft in aviation history. Currently, about 500 are still in service, according to Flightglobal Ascend data.
Recently, as the 747 began to fall out of favor, Boeing also moved into smaller aircraft production. They believe that airlines will continue to favor large twin-engine aircraft, such as the Boeing 777X or the Airbus A350. They can fly as far as giant airplanes, but use less fuel. They also have fewer seats, making it easier for airlines to arrange passengers.