Originally Posted by
MAC 40612
That's not actually true, all of the G-BYGx series and a number of the G-CIVx series were not scheduled for retirement until 2025 [at the earliest]
Planned 747 fleet numbers from the November 2019 Capital Markets Day presentation was,
2020: 25 aircraft
2021: 20 aircraft
2022: 12 aircraft
2023: 3 aircraft
The final retirement was to be in February 2024. The 3 retro jets were going to be amongst the last with G-BNLY being one of the 2023 threesome.
Granted that was alongside a 777-9 delivery schedule of 8 in 2022, 6 in 2023 and 4 in 2024. So who knows what might have happened there with extending the 747 life if the 77X was still delayed.