KLM To early retire the 747

Board Walker · 26-03-2020 11:23am #1

So they had initially intended to retire the 747 fleet in 2021 but news is just starting to filter through that flight KL686 from Mexico City which is currently near Gander will be the last 747 Passenger operation. Flight Radar is the source but i assume they would not put it out there unless it was strongly founded.

As a frequent traveler to Netherlands its a sad day. First the 767 and MD11 and now this. The day of the 747 is truly numbered

url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aviation24.be%2Fairlines%2Fair-france-klm-group%2Fklm-royal-dutch-airlines%2Ftriple-bad-luck-klm-boeing-747-400-ph-bfl%2F&psig=AOvVaw0-RSMC_HBxxTMAGkKTpNdw&ust=1585304607028000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjiroj2t-gCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

Foggy43 · 26-03-2020 11:58am

It says the information is not confirmed.

L1011 · 26-03-2020 12:22pm

If you were doing a retirement now you would not announce it in advance as you absolutely do not want to encourage spotters/avgeeks to try go on the flight.

JCX BXC · 26-03-2020 1:13pm

KL713 just took off an hour ago heading to Paramaribo, so KL686 certainly isn't the last flight.

JohnC. · 27-03-2020 6:59am

L1011 wrote: »

If you were doing a retirement now you would not announce it in advance as you absolutely do not want to encourage spotters/avgeeks to try go on the flight.

It's been reported for nearly two weeks that they're retiring them by the end of the month.

Board Walker · 27-03-2020 9:24am

JohnC. wrote: »

It's been reported for nearly two weeks that they're retiring them by the end of the month.

Very sad! Its hard to think of an Aviation world without them.

L1011 · 27-03-2020 11:12pm

JohnC. wrote: »

It's been reported for nearly two weeks that they're retiring them by the end of the month.

But no specific last flight has been given, which is my point. You don't do anything that will cause people to rush to book it.

EchoIndia · 27-03-2020 11:20pm

First KLM 747 I saw was at SNN in 1976: PH-BUD. They were a frequent sight there on crew training, with all types in the fleet visiting up to at least the 1990s..

Board Walker · 28-03-2020 6:37pm

EchoIndia wrote: »

First KLM 747 I saw was at SNN in 1976: PH-BUD. They were a frequent sight there on crew training, with all types in the fleet visiting up to at least the 1990s..

My first was 2007 in Amsterdam, it was the first time i had been up close to so many 747's and MD's. and the Beautiful Northwest colours were a plenty!

SAM SO NITE · 28-03-2020 8:40pm

Beautiful bird. Will be a shame to see it go.

IQO · 29-03-2020 2:30pm

https://twitter.com/flightradar24/status/1244241663003971584

https://twitter.com/edwinberends/status/1244255279769964545

Now live the last landing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct6MmUG1yrY&feature=emb_logo

veetwin · 29-03-2020 8:04pm

Spent many happy hours upstairs on KLM's 747 fleet. Undoubtedly one of the sexiest passenger airplane ever and a shame to see them retired. Always hated flying economy on them though. Spent a nightmarish 12 hour flight in a middle economy seat very recently from JNB to FRA. New A350 is the current long haul favourite.

29-03-2020 10:19pm

Rumours BA may be retiring theirs next week as well. Sad sad times.

circular flexing · 31-03-2020 8:55pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Rumours BA may be retiring theirs next week as well. Sad sad times.

Even the ones that were recently refurbished to have higher number of J seats?

Foggy43 · 31-03-2020 10:23pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Rumours BA may be retiring theirs next week as well. Sad sad times.

BA's plan was to ground all B747's and B777's for 12 weeks. Continue with limited B787 and A350's flying passengers. All depending on where they could fly too.
Tomorrow there are 7 longhaul passenger flights. 3 B777's, 3 B787's and 1 A350. There will be other B777's flying belly cargo also. The pax B777-200 can cary more freight than the pax B747-400 in the holds and are more fuel efficent.
The B747's were being retired over the next 4 years. It's wait and see I'm afraid.

BonnieSituation · 01-04-2020 4:59pm

I have never managed to get a trip on a 747 and I had planned to go KLM this Nov to NYC to get one [before the current crisis]. Gutting news but alas.

VG31 · 01-04-2020 5:03pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I have never managed to get a trip on a 747 and I had planned to go KLM this Nov to NYC to get one [before the current crisis]. Gutting news but alas.

BA still have them (for now at least). Lufthansa also operate the 747-8 which is relatively new so I imagine they will be around for a while yet.

jhegarty · 01-04-2020 5:08pm

Nothing beats the 747 upper deck , I don't care how fancy the 787/a380 are.

BonnieSituation · 01-04-2020 5:14pm

VG31 wrote: »

BA still have them (for now at least). Lufthansa also operate the 747-8 which is relatively new so I imagine they will be around for a while yet.

Aye. But I will await the current crisis to be over before we see where we are. Just the combo of KLM and the 747 was a tad more iconic in my mind as first trip.

Little to be worrying about though if this is my moan for the day.

:):)

Marcusm · 01-04-2020 5:52pm

Have been on plenty of 747s (BA, CX, QF, JL, VS, probably others) but never KL. I had a fascination with the half passenger/half freighter version where economy was only halfway down the plane with a solid wall and freight behind it.

john boye · 01-04-2020 7:41pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I have never managed to get a trip on a 747 and I had planned to go KLM this Nov to NYC to get one [before the current crisis]. Gutting news but alas.

Tbh you've probably dodged a disappointment. I was on 2 of their 747s a couple of years ago and they weren't in great shape then, even in business.

BonnieSituation · 01-04-2020 7:48pm

Marcusm wrote: »

Have been on plenty of 747s (BA, CX, QF, JL, VS, probably others) but never KL. I had a fascination with the half passenger/half freighter version where economy was only halfway down the plane with a solid wall and freight behind it.

That was one of the options alright. Fascinating bird.

john boye wrote: »

Tbh you've probably dodged a disappointment. I was on 2 of their 747s a couple of years ago and they weren't in great shape then, even in business.

I'll never know now!

Cookiemunster · 01-04-2020 7:53pm

Has this actually been confirmed by KLM or is it still just another rumour like the Qantas one?

x567 · 01-04-2020 9:00pm

Marcusm wrote: »

Have been on plenty of 747s (BA, CX, QF, JL, VS, probably others) but never KL. I had a fascination with the half passenger/half freighter version where economy was only halfway down the plane with a solid wall and freight behind it.

Flew to Caracas on one of these 'combis' as my first flight on a 747 - many years ago...

Davidth88 · 02-04-2020 8:46am

Marcusm wrote: »

I had a fascination with the half passenger/half freighter version where economy was only halfway down the plane with a solid wall and freight behind it.

I flew to China on an LH Combi. TBH it was not that different although looked a bit odd inside.

I remember being annoyed I was flying with my boss, we were offered money and upgrade to go on a later flight and he refused ..... grrrr

The trip coming home was with Air China , the only way I can describe the service was ' authoritarian '
It was in the days a screen in the aisle, half way through the film they stopped it and walked through the aircraft ROARING " NO FILM YOU EXERCISE NOW " literally screaming at you !

Comhrá · 02-04-2020 9:15am

....The trip coming home was with Air China , the only way I can describe the service was ' authoritarian '
It was in the days a screen in the aisle, half way through the film they stopped it and walked through the aircraft ROARING " NO FILM YOU EXERCISE NOW " literally screaming at you !

I recall flying from AMS to BKK once with Air China. I can clearly recall the announcement as we were about to roll:

"Please upright the seat and prepare to take-off!"

Bikerman2019 · 06-04-2020 6:30pm

Comhra wrote: »

I recall flying from AMS to BKK once with Air China. I can clearly recall the announcement as we were about to roll:

"Please upright the seat and prepare to take-off!"

Air China? or China Airlines?

China Airlines has the red flower on the tail and is actually taiwanese

I flew to BKK from AMS with them on my honeymoon. Two weeks before the flight they offered us 200 euro upgrade to business. It was nice.....

Fritzbox · 06-04-2020 6:32pm

KLM Combi transporting the gee-gees from 3 months back:

Bikerman2019 · 06-04-2020 6:36pm

I like the jumbo. Flew cattle class on Barberella, virgin atlantic Gatwick to Orlando. It was the first of the refurbised planes and was great. Got Jersey Girl on the return and it was older and not great. Barberella a nice plane but families with little ones like sardines near the back. Was in Philly one night on the way back to Heathrow and the early flight was cancelled. BA sent a 747 for the later flight and hoovered up everyone. Was nice.

Board Walker · 07-04-2020 6:59pm

Ive never had the pleasure! Biggest ive been on is a Korean and Aeroflot 777.

IQO · 09-04-2020 12:09pm

And it's back - it will do some transportation of medical equipment and other supplies between the United States, Europe and China.

https://twitter.com/ivanconinx/status/1248197162485329920

"To maintain this vital cargo air bridge for the coming six to eight weeks, KLM will specially redeploy Boeing 747 Combi equipment for the service between the Netherlands and China. This air bridge will ensure continuous availability of special cargo capacity, with two weekly flights to Beijing and three weekly flights to Shanghai. This will ensure around 250 tonnes of extra cargo capacity each way per week."

bronn · 11-04-2020 12:17am

jhegarty wrote: »

Nothing beats the 747 upper deck , I don't care how fancy the 787/a380 are.

I loved it. Flew with KLM many times. If on the upper deck, I always picked seat 77a. Flew on PH-BFG the most and was sad to see it heading off to the scrappers yard. Goodbye, Big Friendly Giant.

Board Walker · 12-04-2020 1:05pm

bronn wrote: »

I loved it. Flew with KLM many times. If on the upper deck, I always picked seat 77a. Flew on PH-BFG the most and was sad to see it heading off to the scrappers yard. Goodbye, Big Friendly Giant.

We have a Photo of BFG on her delivery flight arriving to AMS in the Shell Terminal in Rotterdam from the early 90's.

I thought BFG was sold on?

bronn · 14-04-2020 10:04pm

She went to Kemble on 8th December 2019. Footage of it here:

I'd love to know that if she's going to be scrapped, is it possible to get a piece?

Captain_Crash · 15-04-2020 7:20am

bronn wrote: »

I'd love to know that if she's going to be scrapped, is it possible to get a piece?

It isn't BFG but its close enough don't you think? haha

https://www.aviationtag.com/en/produkt/phbfr01/

Board Walker · 15-04-2020 9:18am

Captain_Crash wrote: »

It isn't BFG but its close enough don't you think? haha

https://www.aviationtag.com/en/produkt/phbfr01/

Was just going to post that! I have one and a piece of the Cathay 747.

Captain_Crash · 15-04-2020 9:35am

Board Walker wrote: »

Was just going to post that! I have one and a piece of the Cathay 747.

Have the Cathay one myself, lovey chunk of aluminum.

Tenger · 15-04-2020 1:27pm

PH-CKA flew over Dublin a little while ago.
Its a B747F operated by Martinair, but the livery in KLM so I think it counts!!

BonnieSituation · 15-04-2020 1:29pm

bronn wrote: »

She went to Kemble on 8th December 2019. Footage of it here:

I'd love to know that if she's going to be scrapped, is it possible to get a piece?

Just quoting again to get video viewable:

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

Board Walker · 17-04-2020 4:52pm

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8229059/Coronavirus-killing-big-long-haul-planes-airlines-switching-smaller-aircraft.html

Good oul daily mail

Board Walker · 01-08-2020 8:05pm

I saw a KLM 747 at a gate on Monday evening with the cargo doors open. I assume running PPE or the likes but it was at a gate.

Captain_Crash · 01-08-2020 9:43pm

Board Walker wrote: »

I saw a KLM 747 at a gate on Monday evening with the cargo doors open. I assume running PPE or the likes but it was at a gate.

Yeah the brought a couple of the combi’s back into service for PPE runs. They’ll be gone again soon no doubt

KLM To early retire the 747

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