Boeing 747's, still flying which routes..??
Dec 5, 2010, 9:43 pm
#1
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Boeing 747's, still flying which routes..??
Was wondering which major routes are still being serviced by the might Queen of the skies, the Boeing 747.
Most long haul routes have seen a change to either the 777 or 330’s & 340’s and of course now the 380 as well..
Lot of the major carriers are slowly phasing out the 747's as well. Hence was wondering, which are the remaining regular routes that are still run on the B747.
In my limited knowledge, Cathay still have a few and still uses them on their HKG - SFO route. United and Delta still have them on their fleets, but not sure which routes they run. Info anyone..??
Most long haul routes have seen a change to either the 777 or 330’s & 340’s and of course now the 380 as well..
Lot of the major carriers are slowly phasing out the 747's as well. Hence was wondering, which are the remaining regular routes that are still run on the B747.
In my limited knowledge, Cathay still have a few and still uses them on their HKG - SFO route. United and Delta still have them on their fleets, but not sure which routes they run. Info anyone..??
Dec 5, 2010, 11:55 pm
#3
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Dec 6, 2010, 12:40 am
#4
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QF has a large fleet of 744s that fly LAX-SYD/MEL/BNE, SFO-SYD, LHR-SIN-SYD/MEL, LHR-HKG-MEL, LHR-BKK-SYD, FRA-SIN-SYD, SYD-NRT (on good days 
) and a few other routes. Outside of the US 744s are not so rare. Now 741/742/743s still in service are rare indeed.
) and a few other routes. Outside of the US 744s are not so rare. Now 741/742/743s still in service are rare indeed.
Dec 6, 2010, 1:06 am
#6
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Iran Air is i think one of the few commercial carriers left that still operate the 741's..
Dec 6, 2010, 4:27 am
#7
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Here's a list of 747 operators and the type, serial # of their aircraft:
http://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b747.htm
Most of the major airline passenger services are -400's but there are some of every model still in service somewhere. There seem to be few 747SP still in service one with Saudia, in executive configuration I think, and SN 21758/371 that was delivered to iranAir in 1979 and is still in use, as well as three other even older SP's. In one of the more bizarre incidents of my life I signed the loan agreement for the engines and airframe in Tehran in June-1979. if I recall, during the brief Bazargan government (Feb-Nov 1979). The loan commitment had been made and even though the Shah fell the delivery had to be made. I flew in from Dubai, signed, and left the next day. I also flew on that airplane.
There are a handful of -100 still in service if you want the original 747. They are with Saudia Arabian airlines, five of them, Kabo Air of Nigeria has three, and Orient Thai has one.
The US scheduled carriers United has 25 and Delta has 16. All of those are -400's, the newest version. Of course you can choose from most long distance European and Asian airlines for 747-400's, some of which are very new. To fly the newest one, sn 1358, go to China Airlines which took de3livery in April 2005. The later 747's delivered were freighters.
if you wait a year or two you can fly in the new 747-800, a stretched version, for which Lufthansa is the launch customer, making them the only airline to have both the 747-800 and the A380.
http://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b747.htm
Most of the major airline passenger services are -400's but there are some of every model still in service somewhere. There seem to be few 747SP still in service one with Saudia, in executive configuration I think, and SN 21758/371 that was delivered to iranAir in 1979 and is still in use, as well as three other even older SP's. In one of the more bizarre incidents of my life I signed the loan agreement for the engines and airframe in Tehran in June-1979. if I recall, during the brief Bazargan government (Feb-Nov 1979). The loan commitment had been made and even though the Shah fell the delivery had to be made. I flew in from Dubai, signed, and left the next day. I also flew on that airplane.
There are a handful of -100 still in service if you want the original 747. They are with Saudia Arabian airlines, five of them, Kabo Air of Nigeria has three, and Orient Thai has one.
The US scheduled carriers United has 25 and Delta has 16. All of those are -400's, the newest version. Of course you can choose from most long distance European and Asian airlines for 747-400's, some of which are very new. To fly the newest one, sn 1358, go to China Airlines which took de3livery in April 2005. The later 747's delivered were freighters.
if you wait a year or two you can fly in the new 747-800, a stretched version, for which Lufthansa is the launch customer, making them the only airline to have both the 747-800 and the A380.
Dec 6, 2010, 5:56 am
#8
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Here's a list of 747 operators and the type, serial # of their aircraft:
http://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b747.htm
Most of the major airline passenger services are -400's but there are some of every model still in service somewhere. There seem to be few 747SP still in service one with Saudia, in executive configuration I think, and SN 21758/371 that was delivered to iranAir in 1979 and is still in use, as well as three other even older SP's. In one of the more bizarre incidents of my life I signed the loan agreement for the engines and airframe in Tehran in June-1979. if I recall, during the brief Bazargan government (Feb-Nov 1979). The loan commitment had been made and even though the Shah fell the delivery had to be made. I flew in from Dubai, signed, and left the next day. I also flew on that airplane.
There are a handful of -100 still in service if you want the original 747. They are with Saudia Arabian airlines, five of them, Kabo Air of Nigeria has three, and Orient Thai has one.
The US scheduled carriers United has 25 and Delta has 16. All of those are -400's, the newest version. Of course you can choose from most long distance European and Asian airlines for 747-400's, some of which are very new. To fly the newest one, sn 1358, go to China Airlines which took de3livery in April 2005. The later 747's delivered were freighters.
if you wait a year or two you can fly in the new 747-800, a stretched version, for which Lufthansa is the launch customer, making them the only airline to have both the 747-800 and the A380.
http://www.airfleets.net/exploit/production-b747.htm
Most of the major airline passenger services are -400's but there are some of every model still in service somewhere. There seem to be few 747SP still in service one with Saudia, in executive configuration I think, and SN 21758/371 that was delivered to iranAir in 1979 and is still in use, as well as three other even older SP's. In one of the more bizarre incidents of my life I signed the loan agreement for the engines and airframe in Tehran in June-1979. if I recall, during the brief Bazargan government (Feb-Nov 1979). The loan commitment had been made and even though the Shah fell the delivery had to be made. I flew in from Dubai, signed, and left the next day. I also flew on that airplane.
There are a handful of -100 still in service if you want the original 747. They are with Saudia Arabian airlines, five of them, Kabo Air of Nigeria has three, and Orient Thai has one.
The US scheduled carriers United has 25 and Delta has 16. All of those are -400's, the newest version. Of course you can choose from most long distance European and Asian airlines for 747-400's, some of which are very new. To fly the newest one, sn 1358, go to China Airlines which took de3livery in April 2005. The later 747's delivered were freighters.
if you wait a year or two you can fly in the new 747-800, a stretched version, for which Lufthansa is the launch customer, making them the only airline to have both the 747-800 and the A380.
Dec 6, 2010, 12:58 pm
#10
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There was one at the next gate over at DFW on Thursday, headed to London with BA. It's the first one I've seen since I flew on one in the late '90's.
Dec 6, 2010, 3:34 pm
#11
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Air Force One!!
On a practical note, many still fly the 747s. Was just on a fantastic NZ AKL-LAX and another on OZ's PEK-ICN (not as great) lately.
On a practical note, many still fly the 747s. Was just on a fantastic NZ AKL-LAX and another on OZ's PEK-ICN (not as great) lately.
Dec 6, 2010, 8:15 pm
#13
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FRA - EZE on LH 747 longest in their system
Out of Frankfurt, LH flies the 747-400 daily to Buenos Aires and it's the longest flight in their system. It's almost two hours longer than their Frankfurt to Tokyo flight on the A380.
747-400s are still used for some "killer" long flights and will be for a long time to come.
p
747-400s are still used for some "killer" long flights and will be for a long time to come.
p
Dec 6, 2010, 8:17 pm
#14
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Not "major" if you're North America based, I took JNB-LUN last year on an SAA 747. The in-flight magazine mentioned there's been a bit of a FF stink over their decision to run a 747 on the JNB-LOS run as well.
Interestingly, the JNB-LUN 747 is a white-washed plane. One of my fellow pax in J said that it had been stripped of its SAA colours when the big push for *A Airbuses started and towed out to the desert (Botswana maybe?), but was rescued and put back into service (without its colours) when SAA expanded their Angola offerings. That said, I have no idea if there's any truth to that.
Interestingly, the JNB-LUN 747 is a white-washed plane. One of my fellow pax in J said that it had been stripped of its SAA colours when the big push for *A Airbuses started and towed out to the desert (Botswana maybe?), but was rescued and put back into service (without its colours) when SAA expanded their Angola offerings. That said, I have no idea if there's any truth to that.
Dec 6, 2010, 9:07 pm
#15
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