British Airways has confirmed that the last of its three retrojet Boeing 747 aircraft will be saved from the scrap heap.
A total of four Queens of the Skies have been saved from being torn apart.
British Airways saddened many aviation fans earlier this year when it announced it was ending Boeing 747 operations after half a century. However, British Airways is not alone in its actions. Airlines such as Qantas and KLM have also retired the type ahead of its time, leaving Lufthansa as one of the leading 747 operators still using the type.
BOAC 747
British Airways confirmed that its BOAC retrojet G-BYGC, would be saved from being scrapped. The aircraft will find a new home at Bro Tathan business park in the Vale of Glamorgan, and will be cared for by aviation enthusiasts. This aircraft was the first aircraft to get the British Airways retrojet treatment.
Three 747’s at Dunsfold
With Negus going to Kemble and BOAC going to the Vale of Glamorgan, that leaves Landor, G-BNLY. Landor is currently in Cardiff with BOAC, but will soon fly to Dunsfold in England.
Dunsfold will then house three former British Airways Boeing 747s.
The first one is the British Airways’ Boeing 747-200 used as a set in music videos and Bond films. The second is a 747- 400 in the Chatham dockyard paint scheme, and the third is Landor.
Commenting on the aircraft’s new homes, British Airways’ CEO Sean Doyle said,
“We think [the Boeing 747s] have great historical importance, not only to British Airways but to the entire aviation industry, and we are pleased they will be preserved for future generations in locations in the UK.”
British Airways decided to end its Boeing 747 operations earlier this year due to the current lack of passenger demand. The type had already been due to leave the fleet by the end of 2024.
By retiring the aircraft now, British Airways doesn’t need to maintain capacity that it likely won’t use until its retired. Across the board, four-engined aircraft have fallen out of favour due to their relative fuel inefficiency.
