[Simon Green]

The last time I flew on a 747 was a couple of years ago on a short haul flight within Thailand. I was flying business class but got upgraded to first. The flight only lasted for a bit over an hour, but it was a wonderful hour!

[Loud Mime]

2 engines are far cheaper than four.

[crusty old prospector]

My only time on a 747 was on the Braniff orange one from Dallas to Honolulu in the mid 1970’s.

[A strike]

747 was queen of the air.

727 was the king.

[Vince Ferrer]

40 years in the air was a good run.

[higgmeister]

The year I was born Delta Airlines bought DC-7s and Lockheed Constellations...

They were still flying DC-3s.

[the_Watchman]

I was working as an intern for Phillips Petroleum in 1971. Part of my job was fuel maintenance systems at Stapleton airport in Denver, Colorado. They brought in 747’s while I was working there. They had to rework the runways and ramps in order to hold the weight.

Since we were running around at ramp level, all we could do was look up at the gargantuan beasts. During the first month, one of the airline fueling guys took a couple of us up the outside stairway of a parked 747 and gave us a look around the front of the plane and into the cockpit.

During my career, I have flown over a million miles. Some of the most pleasant have been business class on 747’s between the States and Europe and Japan. The upstairs cabin was nice going to Japan. I laid out on the floor behind the seats in order to take a nap.

[llevrok]

Nearly 2M business air miles under my tush, much of it Seattle to Asia. I used to go out of my way to fly a 747 business cabin (upstairs). It was a great ride. I’ll miss the Queen of the Skies!

[katana]

Spent a significant part of my life aboard 747’s. Still queen of the skies, in my book.

[Dec31,1999]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkom6zQ1xUA

Beauty in motion.(757 take off)

[US Navy Vet]

This is why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSxSgbNQi-g

[SES1066]

Airbus thought that they were in the catbird seat with their more modern A-380 (2007) jumbo which has a passenger capacity of 525 to 853 (all economy). While good for routes with guaranteed high volumes (Middle East & Asia), their sales are dragging and Airbus is considering moving to an upgrade version at a future date.

These planes worked with the spoke-and-hub routing where smaller planes fed these large planes from 'feeder' airports. Now, with the smaller planes having equal range and better economies, that route model is becoming obsolete.

[Deplorable American1776]

A great plane, but time for retirement.

[mkleesma]

Here’s a great video on the new economics of global air travel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlIdzF1_b5M&t=524s

The age of the Jumbo is over.

[SaveFerris]

I never got to ride on a 747. Most others but never on a 747.

Looks like I never will. Unless President Trump invites me for a ride, that is. Here’s hoping. :)