British Airways has retired its remaining 31 Boeing 747s due
to the Covid-19 crisis.
The carrier had planned to continue using its 747s for
several more years.
“We have committed to making our fleet more environmentally
friendly as we look to reduce the size of our business to reflect the impact of
the Covid-19 pandemic on aviation,” British Airways CEO Alex Cruz said. “As
painful as it is, this is the most logical thing for us to propose. The
retirement of the jumbo jet will be felt by many people across Britain, as well
as by all of us at British Airways. It is sadly another difficult but necessary
step as we prepare for a very different future.”
British Airways operated its first 747 in 1971. The carrier
took delivery of its first of the current model, the 747-400, in 1989 and
ultimately operated as many as 57 of them.
In recent years, the four-engine jumbo jet has been eclipsed
by more efficient twin-engine widebodies, including the Airbus A350 and Boeing
787 Dreamliner. British Airways, which has pledged to reach net zero emissions
by 2050, said those two aircraft are 25% more efficient than 747-400.
British Airways grounded its 747 fleet as the Covid-19
pandemic devastated passenger demand in the early spring. The carrier doesn’t
expect to recover to 2019 levels until 2023 or 2024.
“This is not how we wanted or expected to have to say
goodbye to our incredible fleet of 747 aircraft,” Cruz said. “It is a
heart-breaking decision to have to make.”