After 45 years of gracing the sky for China Airlines, the Taiwanese airline has completed its final Boeing 747 flight…to nowhere. Final China Airlines 747 Flight Last autumn, I noted that China Airlines would retire its 747 passenger fleet...
Another Carrier Announces Retirement Of Boeing 747
This has been a bad year for the Boeing 747. As the pandemic has made larger, four-engine aircraft less attractive, carriers have accelerated retirement plans for the Queen of the Skies. Now another airline, China Airlines, has indicated it...
British Airways Defends Its Decision To Retire 747
British Airways abruptly retired its fleet of Boeing 747-400 aircraft over the summer, blaming COVID-19. But the newly-installed CEO now touts the decision as a huge boost to British Airways’ sustainability efforts. British Airways Defends 747 Retirement Speaking at...
747 Wins Fat Bear Week In Alaska
As we close the week, a bit of humor…I think we all need it. Our story takes us to Alaska, where a very fat bear, aptly called 747, has just won a very special honor. 747 Grizzly Bear Wins...
Farewell Photo Tour: British Airways 747-400
As British Airways retires its fleet of Boeing 747-400s without so much as a domestic farewell flight, Live and Let’s Fly is offering the next best thing possible, a photo walkthrough in memory of the Queen of the Skies....
50 Years Ago Today: Queen Of The Skies Debuts On United Airlines
50 years ago today United Airlines debuted a new aircraft type, the Boeing 747-100. A half century later, the Queen of the Skies remains a beloved aircraft and symbol of beauty. July 23, 1970: United Debuted 747 United took...
British Airways Retiring 747 Fleet…Maybe?
Another chapter nears an end for the storied Boeing program, as British Airways prepares to retire its 747 fleet. But three words still give me hope… British Airways Will Retire Its 28-Aircraft 747 Fleet British Airways is the largest...
Boeing Debates Future Of 747 Program
A furious internal debate at Boeing over the future of the 747 program will either extend the life of the program or end it by 2022. Supply Concerns Threaten Future Of Boeing 747 Program The problem is Triumph, which...
So Cool: Final EL AL 747 Flight
Yesterday, EL AL operated its final Boeing 747-400 flight. The sendoff included a “special” routing enroute from Tel Aviv to Rome. Via Flightradar 24, take a look at the flight path of LY1747. The 747 “drew” a 747 over the...
My Bath With A KLM 747-400
Earlier this week I had the chance to spend a night at the brand-new Grand Hyatt at San Francisco International Airport. Not only did I score a nice suite upgrade, I had an incredible view from the bathtub. The...
A Retired United 747 Returns To The Skies
Since late 2017, most of United’s former 747-400s have been gathering dust in California’s Mojave Desert, becoming little more than a relic of the past. But one United 747 has just returned to the skies. A toss-up question: which...
British Airways Schedules 747 On Domestic Flights
August 25, 2019 is shaping up to be a special day on British Airways, including the chance to catch 747-400s on six domestic flights. It was on August 25, 1919 that Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), a forerunner...
British Airways’ Stunning New 747 Paint Job
British Airways has unveiled its new 747 retro paint job and I am very impressed… Last month, I wrote about BA’s plan to repaint one of its Boeing 747-400s with classic British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery. British Airways...
British Airways Honors 747 Legacy With Retro Livery
I have so many bad stories I could cover this afternoon, but after a trio of bad stories earlier today let’s take a break. How about some good news to end the day on? British Airways is celebrating its...
Thai Airways Delays Retirement Of 747 Fleet
Thai Airways has indicated it will not retire its remaining fleet of Boeing 747-400 aircraft as quickly as planned. Thai Airways faces both a short-term and long-term problem. On the short-term, half of its 787 fleet (four of eight...
Boeing 747 Skids Off Runway in Bangkok
A Thai Airways Boeing 747-400 skidded off a runway in Bangkok after landing in torrential rains. It’s monsoon season in Thailand, creating fierce storms that pummel the earth with concentrated spurts of rain. Thai Airways flight 679 was approaching Suvarnabhumi...
KLM Delays Retirement Of 747-400 Fleet
KLM is giving the Queen of the Skies a reprieve. KLM flies a fleet of 12 Boeing 747-400 Combis. The plan was to fully retire this aircraft type by end of 2020, replacing it with Airbus A350-900s. But KLM is deferring...
Man Buys 747, Puts It In Backyard
Imagine this. You go to sleep one night and wake up to find a 747-400 parked in a nearby muddy field the next morning. That’s what happened in Chai Nat, a rural part of Thailand about 200km north of Bangkok....
My Lufthansa 747-8 Business Class Flight Was Disappointing
Whenever I fail to offer a glowing review of a business class product, it seems the following disclaimer is necessary: context matters. There is no question that Lufthansa Business Class aboard the 747-8, offering a lie-flat bed, enhanced service...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: May 27, 2018
Los Angeles has been experiencing “May Gray” all week and I love it! Every year around this time I am reminded of how I should be living in London or Seattle…but I digress (while hoping for “June Gloom”). This...
