 |
| QANTAS B747-438 VH-OEJ (CN 32914) |
Get ready to make your fond farewell to the Qantas Boeing 747, because these scenic joy flights will sell out fast!
Qantas will give fans of the Boeing 747 the opportunity to take one last trip on the much-loved jumbo jet before the iconic 'Queen of the Skies' heads into retirement. The Boeing 747s were set to retire at the end of this year, but the coronavirus-triggered travel slump has seen all but one red-tailed jumbo already put out to pasture. Responding to overwhelming demand, Qantas has moved to give the Boeing 747 a fitting finale with a series of hour-long scenic 'Jumbo Joy Flights' to take place in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra on the following dates:
- Sydney: Monday 13th July
- Brisbane: Wednesday 15th July
- Canberra: Friday 17th July
Tickets for these Boeing 747 'farewell flights' will go on sale through the Qantas website on Tuesday July 7 (no, we don't yet know exactly when) at the following rates:
- business class: $747
- economy class: $400
As with previous similar Qantas flights, there'll be enough spare seats left unsold so that passengers can enjoy the view as well as a little extra elbow-room. The Boeing 747's premium economy cabin will be reserved for Qantas employees, who were this afternoon advised of plans for these special flights. Qantas says the flights will operate on a 'cost-recovery' basis and any profits will be donated to the HARS Aviation Museum in Sydney and the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach "to help preserve and promote the 747 legacy for future generations."
 |
| QANTAS B747-338 VH-EBV (CN 23224) |
Qantas has flown the Boeing 747 for almost 50 years, beginning with the 747-200 model, which entered Qantas’ fleet in 1971. With a sprawling economy class cabin, the Boeing 747 helped democratise international air travel, while literally elevating first class to another level thanks to the upper deck's exclusive Captain Cook lounge where first class passengers could mingle, dine, relax, drink, and even smoke. Qantas also introduced the world's first 'business class' cabin – in name, if not in concept – on the Boeing 747 in 1979, carving out a new level of comfort and service between the luxury of first class and the entry-level economy class experience. Ten years later, in 1989, Qantas took delivery of the Boeing 747-400: boasting globe-striding range, it set a world record for the longest non-stop flight with a 20 hour marathon trek from London to Sydney (take that, Project Sunrise).
 |
| QANTAS B747-438 VH-OEF (CN 32910) |
After decades serving as the flagship of the Flying Kangaroo and dominating international routes to the USA, London, Europe and Asia, the Boeing 747s were steadily replaced by the larger Airbus A380 and the more modern mid-sized Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Boeing stopped producing the 'classic' Boeing 747-400 in 2005, and is now preparing to bring down the curtains on the stretched 747-8 series.
This last member of the Qantas Boeing 747 fleet (VH-OEJ - CN 32914), which ironically was the last 747-438 QANTAS received, is scheduled to leave Sydney for Los Angeles, (and then onwards to the infamous Mojave 'boneyard' where her siblings await) on Wednesday the 22nd July.
Story sourced from here (photos are mine)
No comments:
Post a Comment