Editor’s Be aware: This text discusses the passenger variant of the 747. The 747 Freighter flies to further locations not talked about right here.
One 12 months in the past, we revealed an article about this similar matter. On the time, 19 airways operated passenger flights with the Boeing 747. Now, 365 days later, a lot has modified. On this article, we are going to take a quick have a look at these adjustments and can look the place you continue to can spot and fly the Queen of the Skies.
Throughout 2019, one other airline stated goodbye to the Boeing 747. Israeli nationwide service El Al operated its final 747 flight in October. Through the years, the airline flew with 26 completely different 747’s from most variants, the -100, -200, -300 and -400 collection.
Retirement
Similar to El Al in 2019, Qantas will section out its remaining Boeing 747 plane. The Australian airline nonetheless has six plane flying. Different massive 747 operators have additionally begun to section out the sort. KLM will see its final 747 flight in 2021, whereas British Airways will exchange the plane in 2024.
In keeping with sources, the next airways will exchange their Boeing 747 fleets within the subsequent years:
2020: Qantas
2021: KLM, Virgin Atlantic
2022: Thai Airways
2024: British Airways
The Greatest Airports to Spot the Queen
Europe and Asia stay as one of the best locations to identify the plane. Visiting London’s Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, Frankfurt or Amsterdam will virtually assure a sighting. A lot of the present 747s nonetheless flying are based mostly at a kind of 4 airports. Different airways, together with Air China (Frankfurt Am Important) and Korean Air (London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle & Frankfurt Am Important), fly passengers to Europe with the 747.
In the meantime, Asia remains to be a area with a number of 747 operators. Airways like China Airways (Taipei Taoyuan Airport, four plane), Asiana Airways and Korean Air (Seoul Incheon Airport, 2 and 12 plane, respectively), and Thai Airways (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, 10 plane) nonetheless fly around the globe with older 747-400s and newer 747-8Is.
Moreover, a number of airports with none based mostly 747s nonetheless obtain the plane regularly. Good examples are New York JFK (5 airways), Tokyo (four airways), Hong Kong (three airways) Mumbai (three airways), and Los Angeles (three airways). Thankfully, there are lots of extra locations around the globe the place you possibly can spot the 747. Beneath is an outline:
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (KLM)
- Atlanta (Korean Air Traces, Virgin Atlantic)
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (Air China, El Al, and Thai Airways)
- Beijing Capital Int. Airport (Air China, Lufthansa)
- Boston Logan Airport (British Airways)
- Cape City (British Airways)
- Chicago O’Hare Airport (British Airways and Lufthansa)
- Dallas (British Airways)
- Frankfurt am Important (Air China, Korean Air, and Lufthansa)
- Paris Orly (Corsair)
- Hong Kong Airport (Air China, Korean Air, Qantas)
- Johannesburg (British Airways and Qantas)
- London Gatwick (British Airways and Virgin Atlantic)
- London Heathrow (British Airways, Korean Air)
- Los Angeles (British Airways, KLM and Lufthansa)
- Manchester Airport (Virgin Atlantic)
- Mexico Metropolis (KLM and Lufthansa)
- Miami (British Airways)
- Moscow Sheremetyevo (Rossiya)
- Mumbai (Air India, British Airways, Thai Airways)
- New Dehli (India)
- New York JFK (Air China, British Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Lufthansa, and Qantas)
- Orlando (British Airways)
- Phuket (Thai Airways, Rossiya)
- San Diego (British Airways)
- San Francisco (Air China, British Airways, Qantas)
- Shanghai (Lufthansa)
- Seoul Incheon Airport (Air China, Asiana Airways, Korean Air, and Lufthansa)
- Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (Qantas, Thai Airways)
- Taipei Airport (China Airways, Qantas)
- Tokyo Haneda/Narita (Korean Air Traces, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Thai Airways)
- Toronto (Lufthansa, KLM)
- Vancouver (British Airways, Lufthansa, Qantas)
All pictures courtesy of Tim van Donselaar / Aeronautics On-line
