Posted on 06/23/2013 11:10:56 PM PDT by TexGrill
Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets, which defined a carrier's status and a whole era in aviation, are rapidly declining in popularity.
Korean Air plans to sell 15 of its fleet of B747-400s by 2017, and Singapore Airlines already halted international flights using the B747-400 last year. Other carriers around the world are following suit.
The jumbo, which began commercial flights in 1988, is 70 m long and 19.33 m tall and can carry 400 passengers for more than 16 hours.
Attesting to its level of comfort, Cheong Wa Dae even leased a B747-400 aircraft as the official presidential plane in 2010.
But the aircraft is going out of fashion because it simply uses too much fuel. It takes enough fuel to power 2,600 mid-sized passenger cars to fly a B747-400 from Incheon to Los Angeles, which translates into W60 million (US$1=W1,154) or around W5 million an hour.
Korean Air wants to purchase five B747-8i aircraft to replace the B747-400s since they offer a 14 percent boost in fuel efficiency. Rival Airbus is also hard at Boeing’s heels, rolling out the "super jumbo" A380 to grab market share.
(Excerpt) Read more at english.chosun.com ...
Air fares weren't deregulated back then, and I was able to get a return ticket on Loftleidir Icelandic..which required the stop in Reykjavik..but I couldn't get a cheap flight to NYC that would get me there in time.
Somehow, I managed to wangle a seat on a charter. Someone at the last minute had to miss his flight home. This was an AerLingus 747 that was configured 100% coach..I think it seated about 575. I swear they sold tickets for the bathrooms. It was 100% full. 575 Irish Americans who'd just spent 2 weeks visiting the Ould Sod. Everyone on the plane was, well, "lit." I thought that the first person who struck a match would set the plane off.. you didn't need jet fuel to fly the plane. It turned out to be one of the best flights I ever had.
Turn them into to water bombers to fight forest fires!
wangle or wrangle?
Both...LOL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.