Originally Posted by
tdracer
Yea, Kalitta only operates freighters - and unless they've added something recently their 747-400Fs are purpose built freighters, not conversions, so they don't even have the longer upper deck.
201 passengers - I wonder what sort of passenger provisions they added to the main deck? That's a long time in the belly of the beast - been there, done that (in less than comfortable seats) hated it...
Delivered to Korean Air in 2001. It's a
747-4B5FSCD (B5= Korean Air F=Freighter SCD= Side Cargo Door). It's not a conversion.
I don't know much about main deck provisions on the cargo version....if it has the same seat track rails as the passenger version, then seats can be added quickly. No overhead bins/ PSU's and probably only the single upper deck crew lav for all the passengers, and no galleys. (Someone probably did a Costco run before they dispatched the plane from their Michigan base to Wuhan).
A photo into the cockpit shows the crew in bio suits. You're right...a flight worse than Spirit Airlines or EasyJet, but lifeboat passengers aren't picky. I heard the crew gave a "Welcome to the USA" announcement after landing in ANC and the passengers cheered. Other countries are operating evacuation flights as well.