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Home » Boeing » The Queen Lives (Surprising New Boeing 747-8 Order)
Boeing

The Queen Lives (Surprising New Boeing 747-8 Order)

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 12, 2021November 14, 2023 11 Comments

a blue and white airplane flying in the sky

You would think that now would be the perfect time for a cargo airline to obtain used 747s just about anywhere in the world. But Atlas Air will, ever so slightly, prolong the life of the Boeing 747-8 program with an order for four new aircraft.

Atlas Air Orders Four New Boeing 747-8, Breathing Life Into Program

This morning, Atlas Air announced it would purchase four new Boeing 747-8 freighter aircraft. It attributes it acquisition to the growing e-commerce market:

The aircraft will enable the company to meet strong customer demand in the airfreight market, particularly the fast-growing e-commerce and express sectors.

In an extended press release, AtlasAir played up its environmental stewardship by acquiring these new more fuel-efficient aircraft versus obtaining used 747-400s from the secondary market. John Dietrich, Atlas Air CEO, noted:

“This significant growth opportunity will enable us to capitalize on strong demand and deliver value for our existing and prospective customers. The efficiency and capability of the 747-8F further complements our longstanding focus on leading-edge technology.”

Atlas, which begin flying with a 747 nearly 30 years ago, also highlighted the honor of obtaining what (for now at least) will be the final 747-8 produced. Boeing CEO Stan Deal said:

“The 747 will forever hold a special place in aviation history and we are honored by Atlas Air’s longstanding commitment to the airplane. Atlas Air began operations 28 years ago with a single 747 and it is fitting that they should receive the last 747 production airplanes, ensuring that the ‘Queen of the Skies’ plays a significant role in the global air cargo market for decades to come.”

Prior to this order, 747-8 production was expected to end in early 2022 once the final UPS 747-8 was assembled. The order of four new aircraft will still likely not extend the program past 2022, but continue to give it several more months of life. It takes Boeing about two months to assemble a Boeing 747-8.

It does still seem strange to me, though, that during a time in which British Airways, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Virgin Atlantic recently retired their 747-400 fleets, Atlas Air would invest in new aircraft and not just acquire use aircraft at bargain basement pricing, even if less fuel efficient.

CONCLUSION

The Queen lives on. Boeing 747-8 will continue into 2022 with a new order for four aircraft by Atlas Air.


> Read More: Boeing Debates Future Of 747 Program


image: Boeing

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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11 Comments

  1. Ian Reply
    January 12, 2021 at 11:08 am

    It won’t extend production line lifeline. These frames were already built or are in the process as white tails.

    • derek Reply
      January 12, 2021 at 11:18 am

      Makes sense because some critical suppliers already have had press releases that they have delivered their last assembly.

  2. ptahcha Reply
    January 12, 2021 at 11:40 am

    While it might be cheaper to buy a used plane, the fuel and maintenance cost for the remaining life of the used 747 is probably higher compared to the 747-8, especially they have real-time data from their own 747-400.

  3. Matt Reply
    January 12, 2021 at 2:41 pm

    748-8 in the title… you meant 747-8?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 12, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      Ugh

      • Rick Reply
        January 12, 2021 at 10:26 pm

        100,000 more pounds of freight capacity with 20%-ish less fuel burn over a -400 is a compelling argument.

    • Frank Reply
      January 13, 2021 at 3:53 pm

      747, 748 whatever it takes

  4. mallthus Reply
    January 12, 2021 at 10:36 pm

    I’m sure they did their math. The 748 is more fuel efficient and the 748F is more fuel efficient than even the 748P thanks to the lack of an extended (and useless to a freight operator) upper deck. Add to that the fairly significant cost of converting an existing 744 from passenger configuration to freight, plus the issue that the converted aircraft still won’t have the 748F’s swing open nose. I’d say the math strongly pointed to the 748F for Atlas.

  5. Michael D Reply
    January 14, 2021 at 9:14 pm

    Couldn’t afford a picture of an -8?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 14, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      That is an -8.

  6. Michael D Reply
    January 15, 2021 at 11:19 am

    Do’h! The Freighter of course . Just glanced at the small number of windows.

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