Delta Air Lines. On the 747’s upper deck, another Delta flight attendant stood, taking in the moment with friends and co-workers. Those last trips became more of a farewell tour than a formal end. Today Delta retired the first Boeing 747-400 aircraft ever built for a commercial airline, after its final flight from Honolulu to Atlanta. The pictured N672US… Delta isn’t the only airline retiring the plane this year in favor of newer, cheaper, more fuel-efficient alternatives. The Atlanta-based airline currently operates 16 747-400 aircraft. Delta is the last U.S. passenger airline to fly the jumbo jet dubbed the “Queen of the Skies.” The 747 fleet is set to be retired by the end of 2017. It currently operates nine 747-400s and will retire two by the end of the year. When it comes to aircraft, the phrase “age ain’t nothing but a number” doesn’t really apply. Critics go ballistic over 'Notorious A.C.B' T-shirts "There you go. According to several media reports, KLM will retire its 747s in 2021. Photo: Delta Air Lines Hard to maintain. These aircraft are all less than 12 years old. Delta dubbed this 747-400 Ship 6301. USER_MINI_PROFILE. Yet on a planet that previously only the richest could cross at will, the 747’s most lasting impact may have been on everyday notions of distance and difference. The planes are at a 'boneyard' in Arizona, a salvage facility where planes are sent to be stored. The 747-400, a 1980s technology update to the jumbo, dates itself. Ultimately, the age of the type has reduced its efficiency across the board. Delta has announced their plans to retire the last of their 747 fleet by 2017. Delta retired its last 747 passenger plane in January, marking the final flight by a U.S. carrier. 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. On January 3, Delta Air Lines Flight 9771 touched down in Marana, Arizona, an arid boneyard for stored and cannibalized jetliners. 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. Last year Delta followed suit, sending its last 747 … According to Business Insider, he explained that it had started to become a struggle to maintain. But that does not mean the 747 is going away completely. Simple, really. "Paul called me up, said 'hey, Steve, how about jerking gear for me? Gallaher, 64, was retiring with the 747 fleet. The remaining seven will be retired in 2017. Gallaher's last command flight had been the day before, flying a charter with Hanlon to get the Clemson Tigers football team back home to South Carolina. UA857. While the 747 will continue to be used as a cargo plane in the US—as well as being the aircraft of choice for that most important passenger: the President of the United States—its overall days as a commercial aircraft are likely numbered. Flight computers with green type on black screens and blocks of backup gauges with spinning needles have long been obsolete. Avgeeks, take heart: even with United’s retirement and Delta’s planned send off, you can still catch a flight on a 747 if you fly internationally. Following the retirement of its 18 777s, Delta’s long-haul routes will be flown exclusively by the company’s A330s and A350-900s. Delta Air Lines surprised us all yesterday by announcing it would retire its Boeing 777 fleet by the end of 2020. Unlike Fincher, Nancy Cobb said she’s been on the 747 before. The older an aircraft gets, the more costly it becomes to operate. Delta dubbed this 747-400 Ship 6301. Why would Delta retire this iconic long-range aircraft that it only recently retrofitted with new seats? Get on that distinctive front upper deck while you still can. 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. 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. United and Delta were the last two U.S. carriers to utilize 747 … These aircraft are all less than 12 years old. "Eight thousand [feet] makes us pucker," said Hanlon. That said, when the 747-100 first debuted with its iconic, double-decker shape in 1969, it was nothing short of an aviation revolution. The 747 was a marvel of engineering when it first flew months before the first moon landing in 1969. Korean Air has a fleet of two Boeing 747-400s. These planes are typically operated on long-haul international flights and are equipped with some of the best of Delta’s business elite seats. He's flown with Delta and its merger predecessor, Northwest Airlines, since 1983 and was a captain on the 747 for 18 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.. 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. Earning the moniker "queen of the skies," the 747 was postage stamp famous, an icon of pop culture, and the backdrop of movies, television and a flying emblem of the US presidency as Air Force One. "Everybody stands up at the terminal and goes to the glass and they go 'that's a 747'," said Capt. The airline retired its last 747 in 2012. of . 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. Air France code shares with Delta, and they had 747s, while Delta did not. The reason? When Delta retires its final 747, it’ll mark the end of four-engine aircraft in US passenger service (three-engine aircraft have been out of fleets for years). Wouldn’t it have made more sense to retire older A320s instead? In 2018 Delta proclaimed the Airbus A350 is the flagship of its fleet, replacing the Boeing 747. 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. Stephen Hanlon, 62, Delta's chief 747 pilot, who was in command of the final flight. Delta. Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced on Thursday that the airline will permanently retire its Boeing 777 fleet by the end of the year. The 747 "stops on a dime. Those retirements accelerated as Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus's A350, which Hanlon will fly next, came along. According to Bastian, the decision was made due to the drop in travel demand caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Shaking hands with fuelers and ground handlers who had looked after the airplane. American carriers who used to operate the Boeing 747 included American Airlines, Delta and United. And with DL only … I was told by a 747 pilot for delta airlines that the 747 will be retired on some month that starts with a J the 31st. Furthermore, three Airbus A340-300, which were operated by Lufthansa Cityline, would also be retired permanently. Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. The Jumbo ferried to Marana, Arizona on September 30 as flight DL 9950 for final disposition. On Saturday, the Dutch flag-carrier published a general overview on how it will handle the current crisis. Delta’s 747 jumbo jets can hold 376 passengers. On Thursday, Delta separately announced significant cutbacks to its Pacific operations. Photo: Delta Air Lines Hard to maintain. Delta Air Lines became the last major US airline to operate the 747. Settings WELCOME_INDEX, Bing [Bot] NO_PMS_INFO In addition, as Quartz reported last month, the rate at which airlines are flying new flights with the A380, known as a “super jumbo jet,” is also at its lowest ever—which means the plane could also one day meet the same fate as the 747. Many came out to bid the plane farewell, even on an unusually cold Atlanta winter morning. If you want to book a flight on one of Delta Air Lines' Boeing 747s, the clock is ticking. The retirement will accelerate the airline’s strategy to simplify and modernize its fleet, while continuing to operate newer, more cost-efficient aircraft. And I'll do the same for you going to the desert," said Hanlon. © 2021 Quartz Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Ship 6314 left the ground for the last time in Atlanta weighing a spritely 518,000 pounds, about 20% of which was jet fuel. 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. But this departure on ship 6314 was the true grand finale. The final commercial flight of a Boeing 747-400 operated by a US carrier hit the tarmac in Detroit today. Hanlon led the final walk-around inspection. That's when smaller twin-engine jets like the Boeing 777 really began filling fleets. 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. A final domestic revenue flight, a last international trip, a final charter. Former United CEO and current executive chairman Oscar Munoz shared precisely why his company decided to retire the jet. On the whole, commercial airlines have been phasing out jumbo jets like the 747 in favor of leaner, more efficient aircrafts. It carried on using its 747-400s right up until 2017. 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. The Atlanta-based airline currently operates 16 747-400 aircraft. Delta Air Lines became the last major US airline to operate the 747. Our emails are made to shine in your inbox, with something fresh every morning, afternoon, and weekend. 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. That’s 30 years ago. 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. Delta Air Lines is giving customers and employees a chance to fly on the Boeing 747 before the carrier retires the fleet. There are still 185 flying paying passengers around the world, according to. Delta has been american avgeeks last hope involving the queen. The bulk of the fleet is old, and getting older. The global movement of people isn’t slowing down. The words "Business Insider". The 747 had two stints with Delta. 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. 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. 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. Back in the cockpit, Gallaher was readying the jet to fly. 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. A three-hour-and-33-minute journey from Atlanta. The Rock gives his first-ever presidential endorsement. Gallaher, Hanlon's friend of more than 30 years, was a first officer on the first 747-400 delivered to Northwest Airlines in 1989. #21202753. 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 bulk of the fleet is old, and getting older. Steve Hanlon, the airline's chief 747 Pilot, was in command of the flight. Make it happen," said Hanlon. According to Business Insider, he explained that it had started to become a struggle to maintain. Enjoy! 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. Simple, really. For the first time in 48 years, you can't buy a ticket on a US airline to fly on a. Secondly, the older an aircraft becomes, the more maintenance it requires. Having inaugurated the “age of mass intercontinental travel,” wrote the scholar Vaclav Smil, the 747 “became a powerful symbol of global civilization.”. Former United CEO and current executive chairman Oscar Munoz shared precisely why his company decided to retire the jet. The 747 had two stints with Delta. Delta had previously flown its last commercial passenger flight aboard a 747-400 on December 19, from Seoul to Detroit. In 1976, Singapore Airlines redesigned its first class upper-deck to create 'slumberettes' - 6 custom divans that turned into beds. Both Delta and United Airlines have been saying goodbye to the jumbo for months. Another senior Delta captain, Paul Gallaher, was making his final flight, too. Enormous four-engine jets like the 747 and the even larger Airbus A380 haven't sold in significant numbers in recent years. Pan American Airways debuted the enormous two-deck airliner in January 1970, and flights by US passenger airlines have been flying uninterrupted ever since. His final time at the controls of a Delta 747. Delta still has A320s from 1990. Who will buy the 73Gs? Almost all classic (pre-400s) 747s predate 1989 (the last nine were delivered in 1989–91), and the oldest -400 entered service in 1989 this month. Delta Air Lines announced plans to retire 25% of its 747 fleet in 2014. The analog settings on the autopilot bounce with each turn of the knob. These are the core obsessions that drive our newsroom—defining topics of seismic importance to the global economy. According to Business Insider, he explained that it had started to become a struggle to maintain. According to several media reports, KLM will retire its 747s in 2021. The remaining 747s still in the air that are operated by US airlines are represented by a few charter jets and cargo operators. 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