China airlines officially bid farewell to the last Boeing 747 aircraft after 46 years of service. The last flight CI2747 was flown on the 20th March 2021.
China airlines first acquired the Boeing 747 in 1976 after leasing a former Delta Airlines Boeing 747-100. Four brand new 747 SP’s and 747-200s were later purchased by the airline. The 747-200’s allowed the airline to commence operations to Europe for the first time.
China Airlines also placed one of the largest orders for the 747 when the 400 series was introduced. In all of its history, a total of 60 747’s operated for the airline. Much of the older 747’s were retired in the early 2000s.
The 747-400F cargo aircraft that was operating most recently will be replaced by the Boeing 777-300ER.
Earlier this month, Air India also expressed plans to phase out the 747s which had been active for over 50 years. As the aircraft gets older, most airlines are replacing the aging aircraft with newer once’s which are more efficient and cheaper to operate.
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