British Airways, the biggest Boeing 747 operator in the world, announced Thursday that it would retire its entire fleet of the jumbo planes with immediate effect as a result of the continuous decline in the aviation sector caused by the ongoing global health turmoil.
International curbs implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 created a disruption in demand in air travel, leaving many airline companies in doubt about the future.
Boeing's "Queen of the Skies" has been the most easily recognizable jetliner in the world for over five decades, with its humped fuselage and four engines, but its days had already been numbered before the coronavirus pandemic hit earlier this year.
British Airways intended to retire the aircraft in 2024, but with passenger numbers falling this year and expecting it will be many years before they recover, the carrier disclosed that it was unlikely that its 747s would ever be working commercially again.
The carrier had huge success with the Boeing 747 lineup since it first took to the skies, operating it as the flagship planes of its long-haul operations.
"It's with great sadness that we can confirm we're proposing to retire our entire fleet of 747s with immediate effect," BA told FlightGlobal on July 16, as reported by Pilar Wolfsteller of FlightGlobal.
Initial reports of the carrier's move has emerged following an internal correspondence on July 16 that was sent to all British Airways personnel and subsequently shared widely on the internet.
Based on Cirium Fleets data, British Airways had 30 of the gigantic long-range passenger jets in its fleet, all of which have been grounded as the pandemic led to a steep decline in air travel demand and reductions in the volume of flights.
Additionally, BA cited the fact that these four-engine behemoths are not as fuel-efficient as their modern rivals. Plus, with an average age of 20-plus years, these planes have demanded more regular maintenance works compared to some of Boeing's newer jets.
British Airways has operated the super-jumbos since 1971 with the 747-100. The group's first 747-400 arrived in July 1989 and in total British Airways would have operated the 100, 300, and 400 versions. It total, 105 units of the 747 was used by the carrier.
British Airways, owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, disclosed it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient planes like its latest A-350s and 787s and expects these jets to help in attaining net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
