Originally Posted by
Dee Vee
Doesn't sound like it was done in haste to me, quite the opposite in fact. These dinosaurs are well overdue for replacement.
In fact, the last nine B747's in service are just approaching 3/4 of the lifespan that Qantas has usually used before retiring them so they are not overdue. The fact that their fuel burn is high compared to the B777 is the issue and goes back to the decision made by Geoff Dixon in Nov 2000 when he ordered A380's, A330's and 6 B747ER's. The majority of staff wanted Triplers instead of the B747's but Dixon didn't want to introduce another fleet (on top of the Airbus types).
If the B747's have to be retired due to excessive fuel burn, why aren't the A380's also being retired?