British Airways retires 747 fleet
Aviation Updates Philippines – As reported by international aviation media outlets, British Airways has
confirmed it will drop the Boeing 747-400 fleet due to the severe impact of
COVID-19 on its flight operations.
Saying that the 747’s future is uncertain, an internal letter for British
Airways employees revealed the airline’s proposal to “immediately retire”
the 28-strong fleet. The 747, dubbed as the Queen of the Skies, has now
become unsustainable for the airline’s future operations.
According to news website Airway1, the speculations on the retirement of the
747 has been avoided by the airline. However, Thursday’s internal memorandum
confirmed that the Queen would indeed be retired, subject to consultation.
“With much regret, we are proposing, subject to consultation, the immediate
retirement of our Queen of the Skies, the 747-400. The unofficial flagship
of our fleet, the 747-400 has a very special place in the hearts of aviation
enthusiasts and of many of us,” the memo reads.
BA’s 747 fleet has fallen victim to the adverse economic impact of the
pandemic. More airlines have opted to retire older aircraft in favour of
newer, more fuel-efficient alternatives such as the Airbus A350 and the
Boeing 787. Qantas is also on its way of retiring the Queen.
British Airways operated the 747 since 1971, starting with the 747-100
version. United Kingdom’s national flag carrier went on to operate the
747-200, -300, and the -400 over the next few years. Per Planespotters.net,
BA received its last 747-400 in April 1999.
With reports from
AirlineGeeks,
UK Aviation News
Photo from Art Konovalov
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