THe Majestic 747 - the original Jumbo of the Sky

[Wannabe Flyer]

After a gap of almost 10 years I got to fly in a 747-400 last week. Most of the routes I have been flying over the past years have moved to 777 or 330 so it was an absolute delight to fly in one of these aircraft in which i had logged many many SLF miles in the 90's.

After seeing models of 747 aircraft on my study tables my 5 year old was absolutely delighted to be flying on the aircraft with an upstairs! I was happy I was able to take her on one albeit a short flight of 4 hours.

I found the aircraft (it was aging so no fancy entertainment system etc) very comfortable and a lot of space in Y class and leg room. It was a lot of fun to fly in!!!!!

With so few carriers left flying this equipment and an imminent phase out of this majestic beauty that is older than more than 60% of the worlds population I am not sure when I will get a chance to fly this aircraft again. I know there is the 380 but this is akin to the mustang of the 60's that one always wants regardless of the Porsche's out there.

With the 747-8 going the cargo way (at least what indications are) does anyone have an idea how much longer the passenger versions of the existing fleet will continue flying? Any guesses who will be the last carrier to have this on their fleet?

[UniFoxOs]

I too haven't flown on one of these for many years, and have spoken of them so lovingly that SWMBO is quite jealous. I have promised her a flight on one, so I'd be very interested in the answer to this. We already have a holiday booked for this year, so if they are going to disappear soon I will have to book an extra trip just so that she can experience one.

Cheers
UFO

[ZFT]

Goodness knows what part of the world you guys pax in but there are still literally hundreds of -400s flying around. Just about every major Asian and European carrier still operates them.

[Wannabe Flyer]

ZFT

I am based out of India. Trips to ME and Europe are usually on 320, 737, 330 or 777. Non Stops to US are on 777. Flights to SE Asia are on 320, 737, 777, 330
Most connections out of Europe are on 330 or 777 and onwards to the US. If taking a connecting from SE Asia to Aussie then it is again a 777 or 330.

AI flies the 747 but have not flown them for the past 20 years and dont think I will for the next 50. About the same for BA

So out of India

SQ
MH
LH (MD 11 and 340)
UA/CO
AA
EY
EK
IT
9W
TG
VS (340)
TU
KLM (usually an MD 11 but over new years I say the 747 on the tarmac, probably dealing with the peak travel).
Do not fly a 747..............Sad but true maybe the geographical location has made it impractical....

Might have missed many more.

I got to the fly a TG 747 cause of the new years rush they substituted a 400 with the standard equipment over that period.

[Smoketrails]

I know the feeling Wannabe Flyer! After more than 300 flights under the belt I've only ever flown on the mighty 747 twice! And it wasn't even across any of the Oceans(this task was always reserved for the even more beautiful orange Tristars of LTU!). When I was young my dad treated me to a trip on an Air India B747 between Schiphol and Heathrow as at this time I hadn't flown 'the beast' yet! Then a couple of months later LTU ran out of aircraft and chartered an Evergreen B747 for the summer season! We were lucky to get her on the Dusseldorf to Mallorca flight.

Anyway, many years on an dad is treating his 37 year old son on a trip to LAX in march! First thing I checked, what are we flying? I was pleasantly surprised and a tad excited to see we will be riding a 747 combi from Amsterdam! Father is forking out for bizz class so we get to ride upstairs, double excited!

...thank you daddy

[mutt]

an imminent phase out of this majestic beauty

We operated our -100 series for almost 40 years, phased it out last year, -300 series was introduced in 1985 and will be phased out by 2013-15, thats almost 30 years, our -400's were delivered in 1998, so as 13 year old aircraft they have lots of life left in them..... and our first -8 will be delivered this year.... kinda

Almost forgot, we also operate -SP's and recently retired a -200.... so we are probably the only airline that has operated the SP/100/200/300/400 at the same time

Mutt

[Scarbagjack]

Mmm Mmmm.
The sexiest aircraft ever. I too love the 747-400.
I have done quite a few Pacific crossings from Oz to the US and never do I fail to get excited at the first glimpse of that sexy beast!

Better sign off before my wife catches me going on about it again...

Enjoy.

[Lord Bracken]

One of the reasons BA gets most of my business across the pond is because of the 744 - particularly upstairs business class - which you can find on JFK, IAD, SFO, LAX, DFW, ORD etc. etc.

[ZFT]

Wannabe Flyer,

Interesting. I'm based at Suvarnabhumi and the number of pax 744s arriving and departing daily is still a very high number.

obviously TG but also (from memory) SQ, BR, UN, KL, LH, OZ, KE, NH, CA, QF, BA, CX, NZ, LY, GA, UA, AI are some of the 'visitors',

[Ancient Observer]

The reality...........

......er, excuse me, but as customers, the actual introduction of the 400 was a real pain. The lot that BA bought had real and continuous issues. Whether that was BA's re-engineering of everything, a habit which they now do a little bit less of, or the 400's fault, I do not know. In the early 90's you just could not guarantee getting from lhr to sin, let alone Mel, and from sin, to lhr, where BA had less capability, planes that I was on ended up
1. Nowhere. Could not take off, so had to get an SQ flight to Man
2. Athens.
3. Schiphol.
4. Somewhere in India. I didn't even get off to find out where we were.

For some strange reason, the 400 from hkg to lhr did not appear to give me the same grief.

The only upside of this was that I got to know BA's station manager at Sin and the passenger services supervisor, and had lots of interesting conversations about where we might end up. Was his name Ishahak?
Then, BA put their customer service in Sin in the hands of Quantas, so real customers who paid real money were always put third to 1. crew who were mates, and then crew who were not mates. Paying customers were not quite actively disliked - it just felt like it.

The only upside was that I did convince my 2 children that "real" planes had upstairs and downstairs. They could wear themselves out running up and down the stairs, and then the crew and I could sleep.

[Rush2112]

I haven't been on a 744 in ages, SQ phased them off all the routes I usually fly in favour of the 380 (LHR, CDG) or 777 (ditto), or now a 340 of some sort (KIX). They haven't used a 744 on any route in SE Asia I've flown since I cannot remember when. Sad really because I would chose one any day over the 380.

edited to add - a quick check of their website reveals they have 9 left in the fleet so they must fly them somewhere!!

[PAXboy]

Whilst I agree and was delighted to discover that my next JNB has 744 on outbound (346 return from CPT is fine but not special).

Of course, if we are going to get misty eyed about the 747, then we might find ourselves drifting over to Concorde, then back to the 707 and if THAT happens, I'm just going to have to refer you folks to ... the VC-10

[TightSlot]

I'm lucky enough to be still working on The Queen. Her days are numbered however (although somewhat extended since the glue won't dry in time on the 787) - Few aircraft have ever been quite so popular with both crew and passengers - possibly the VC10 as the only other?

[Betty girl]

Oh you are all so right a really lovely aircraft.

Another one I also loved working on was the DC10-30.

[rogerg]

Another one I also loved working on was the DC10-30.

Sounds like an ex BCal girl. The 10-30 was also great to fly.

[Joao da Silva]

- Few aircraft have ever been quite so popular with both crew and passengers - possibly the VC10 as the only other?

Concorde .

[strake]

Concorde .

Hmm.. the quote was "crew and passengers". Given the number of people who have flown in a 747 versus the same in Concorde, in relative terms, you might as well say "Gulfstream IV".

Now, if the quote was "members of the public", then I think Concorde would probably win overall.

[Joao da Silva]

Yes, but there was no mention of relativity in the statement.

And as airliners were not specified, Gulfstream is a good response, too.

[Hotel Tango]

Give me a DC-6, DC-7 or Connie any day over a plastic aeroplane any day

I do like the 747 upper deck in C class.

[Skipness One Echo]

Give me a DC-6, DC-7 or Connie any day over a plastic aeroplane any day

Tried a DC3 once. Was queasy after five minutes as it floated about the sky, there's a lot to be said for technology. Older aircraft are best appreciated on the ground IMHO.