BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

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Aquarious
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BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Aquarious »

British Airways (BA) has retired its entire 747 fleet today with immediate effect according to the BBC website. BA is (was) the world's largest operator and has cited the downturn due to COVID-19. The 747 was due to retire in 2024.
Last edited by Aquarious on Fri 17 Jul 2020, 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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CJS
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

Birmingham Angler's Association?
British Astronomical Association?
British Animation Awards?

Nope, you've got me I'm afraid...

Joking, I'm joking...

Anyway, viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83108&start=375
"There's only one way of life, and that's your own"

GeeRam
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GeeRam »

:rofl:

It can't even be British Airports Authority anymore either.....

RAF4EVER
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by RAF4EVER »

Aquarious wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 11:18 am
BAA has retired its entire 747 fleet today with immediate effect according to the BBC website. BAA is (was) the world's largest operator and has cited the downturn due to COVID-19. The 747 was due to retire in 2024.
BAA ,as far as I know,has never operated aircraft[stands to be corrected.]

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CJS
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

RAF4EVER wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 12:29 pm
Aquarious wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 11:18 am
BAA has retired its entire 747 fleet today with immediate effect according to the BBC website. BAA is (was) the world's largest operator and has cited the downturn due to COVID-19. The 747 was due to retire in 2024.
BAA ,as far as I know,has never operated aircraft[stands to be corrected.]
Well it certainly hasn't since 2012.

Anyway, back to the actual topic (sorry!), it's a shame. They are nothing short of iconic, and losing the biggest operator of them is a shame. I have only flown in a 747 on one occasion (London-Delhi on Boxing Day in 2013) but there was something about knowing you were on one that was pretty cool I must say.

And the retro schemed jet from last (?) year really did look the mutt's nuts, didn't it? :cool:
"There's only one way of life, and that's your own"

TYPHOON3
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by TYPHOON3 »

CJS wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 11:54 am
Birmingham Angler's Association?
British Astronomical Association?
British Animation Awards?

Nope, you've got me I'm afraid...

Joking, I'm joking...

Anyway, viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83108&start=375
At least he's tried to put it in a more suitable thread. Why have you put it in the Interesting Internet thread ?

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starbuck
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by starbuck »

I'd never flown on one until last year to Washington. Knowing their time was limited I was really looking forward to it and whilst I was glad to be able to tick it off, it just didn't compare against a 777 or A330. Not flown on a 787 or a A350 yet but would imagine the contrast would be even greater.

Are they still the fastest airliner?

FarnboroJohn
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by FarnboroJohn »

starbuck wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 2:05 pm
I'd never flown on one until last year to Washington. Knowing their time was limited I was really looking forward to it and whilst I was glad to be able to tick it off, it just didn't compare against a 777 or A330. Not flown on a 787 or a A350 yet but would imagine the contrast would be even greater.

Are they still the fastest airliner?
I believe that might be Concorde.

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CJS
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

TYPHOON3 wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 1:50 pm
CJS wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 11:54 am
Birmingham Angler's Association?
British Astronomical Association?
British Animation Awards?

Nope, you've got me I'm afraid...

Joking, I'm joking...

Anyway, viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83108&start=375
At least he's tried to put it in a more suitable thread. Why have you put it in the Interesting Internet thread ?
Eh? :dunno:
"There's only one way of life, and that's your own"

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starbuck
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by starbuck »

FarnboroJohn wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 2:10 pm
starbuck wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 2:05 pm
I'd never flown on one until last year to Washington. Knowing their time was limited I was really looking forward to it and whilst I was glad to be able to tick it off, it just didn't compare against a 777 or A330. Not flown on a 787 or a A350 yet but would imagine the contrast would be even greater.

Are they still the fastest airliner?
I believe that might be Concorde.
Sorry, should have said still in service!

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Wyvernfan
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Wyvernfan »

[/quote]And the retro schemed jet from last (?) year really did look the mutt's nuts, didn't it? :cool:
[/quote]

Would love to see that one preserved in the UK - just don’t ask me where though!

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Euan Buchan
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Euan Buchan »

Never flown in one but I have enjoyed watching them.
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Mike
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Mike »

Wyvernfan wrote:Would love to see that one preserved in the UK - just don’t ask me where though!
[bobblehat]should have gone 2 Brunty[/bobblehat]

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BDL
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by BDL »

So glad we got to fly back from JFK last year on one, always found them far more comfortable than 777's and Dreamliners.

Would love to see at least one of the Heritage jets retired to a museum somewhere, though quite which one would depend on there being sufficient space and a decent airfield to retire to.

Look they got a bloody B52 into Duxford, come on guys..........

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Aquarious
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Aquarious »

Euan, thanks for pointing out my error, my bad. I really should have checked before submitting. I've corrected my error and added clarity for you. Apologies to everyone. I always wondered why they have to put instructions on shampoo.

GeeRam
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GeeRam »

Wyvernfan wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 2:45 pm
Would love to see that one preserved in the UK - just don’t ask me where though!
Which one......?
BA painted 3 x 747's up in retro schemes, the early 70's BOAC, the late 70's 'BA Negus' scheme, and the 1980's BA Landor scheme.

The BOAC and Landor jets are currently parked up next to each other at BA Maintenance site at Cardiff airport, having flown down there from LHR as couple of weeks ago, and the Negus scheme 747, is still parked up next to the fence alongside the eastern perimeter road at Heathrow.

Unknown74
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Unknown74 »

No disrespect to BOAC or Negus but I love the BA Landor livery. Would love to see the 3 being preserved somehow, somewhere.

Mike
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Mike »

Can anyone name me a single collection in the UK with a suitable runway whose collection policy includes US-built airliners?

GeeRam
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by GeeRam »

Unknown74 wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 5:01 pm
No disrespect to BOAC or Negus but I love the BA Landor livery. Would love to see the 3 being preserved somehow, somewhere.
I'm an old git, so the BOAC is the one that took me back to seeing the 747's in their early years of service (along with Pan Am and TWA liveries)

However, the Landor scheme is the only correct one for a BA -400 series jet.

No chance of a 747 being preserved anywhere in the UK though.

Zoom
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Re: BAA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Zoom »

RAF4EVER wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 12:29 pm
Aquarious wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 11:18 am
BAA has retired its entire 747 fleet today with immediate effect according to the BBC website. BAA is (was) the world's largest operator and has cited the downturn due to COVID-19. The 747 was due to retire in 2024.
BAA ,as far as I know,has never operated aircraft[stands to be corrected.]
They did operate the LGW-LHR helicopter although it was actually owned by (or at least branded) BCal. It was the only travel concession available to BAA staff and i was lucky enough to use it once for £5 (each way; got the train back) in 1985 when my brother worked for them. I remember seeing the M25 under construction. The coach link never really made up for its loss
Last edited by Zoom on Sat 18 Jul 2020, 6:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Robin
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Robin »

Only flown on a 747 once, that was from LHR to JFK and was rather special, in that my return flight was on Concorde, on one of its last scheduled flights into London. I will never forget our landing at JFK because on approach, the pilot announced that he may not be able to land because there were very high crosswinds, but that he would give it a try. I was sitting in a window seat and on approach I looked out and my view was right down the runway, we were almost flying sideways, at the last minute the pilot kicked the rudder and we straitened up and landed with an almighty crunch, the whole aircraft erupted in cheers and clapping from the passengers, a most memorable flight.
Per Ardua ad Astra

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CJS
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by CJS »

Mike wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 5:07 pm
Can anyone name me a single collection in the UK with a suitable runway whose collection policy includes US-built airliners?
There are some on the ground at Kemble I think? Not necessarily to fly, but perhaps to have preserved at least?
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andygolfer
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by andygolfer »

Mike wrote:
Fri 17 Jul 2020, 5:07 pm
Can anyone name me a single collection in the UK with a suitable runway whose collection policy includes US-built airliners?
David Walton's collection at Bruntingthorpe, he owns the ex Olympic one SX-OAD which had the ASDA stickers on it for a while. I doubt that one will ever need the runway though.
There are also a couple of ex Transaero ones there as well which came in to be scrapped but never were but they don't belong to David Walton as far as I know (unless he's claimed them in lieu of rent) they've been there for about 7 years now.

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jasonT1981
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by jasonT1981 »

Could Duxford's runway land a 747? I know Duxford is mostly military but they have a nice collection of historic civilian airliners too, it would be nice if somewhere like Duxford could get one.

Mike
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Re: BA retires entire Boeing 747 fleet

Post by Mike »

The clue is in the name of the Duxford Aviation Society’s collection. “The British Airliner Collection”. A 747 falls outside their collecting policy. They had to fight tooth-and-nail to be allowed to accept a Trislander a few years back, and have had to reject at least two BAe146s and an HS748 in recent years. The chance of IWM allowing then to accept a 747 is about the same as that of Boris Johnson ever having a decent haircut.

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