'QUEEN OF THE SKIES' Dethroned- End of the Jumbo

British Airways the world’s biggest operator of Boeing co. 747-400s, is retiring its entire fleet of the jumbo jets with immediate effect because of the damage the coronavirus has done to air travel.

The carrier’s 31 Boeing 747-400 planes, known as the 'QUEEN OF THE SKIES' which could sit 345 passengers in four classes, flew to destinations including Beijing, New York, San Francisco, Cape Town and Lagos, until Covid-19 struck and forced the airline to park them. British Airways had planned to finish phasing out the aircraft in 2024.

This will end 50 years of flying the jumbo jet. They will be replaced with the more economical A350’s and 787 Dreamliner. The jumbo jet originally accommodated 27 first-class and 292 economy travellers, and featured a lounge on its upper deck, earning its reputation as the “club in the sky”.

The pandemic has devastated the aviation industry, with governments around the world imposing unprecedented travel restrictions to try to stop its spread. Airlines have grounded much or all of their fleets as they recalibrate to the slump in demand. They’re also assessing which aircraft will best suit their needs when the market recovers to pre-virus levels, something that’s not widely expected until atleast 2023.