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.
Posted on 12/30/2018 9:48:00 PM PST by Simon Green
About a year ago, a Boeing 747 operated by Delta Air Lines DAL, took off from Atlanta for a three-hour flight to Pinal Airpark, a boneyard for unwanted aircraft in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.
The once celebrated giant of the sky, which had transformed international travel with its size and range, had flown its last flight for a U.S. airline.
Delta has replaced its fleet of jumbo jets with Airbus A350s, one of a new breed of smaller, ultraefficient long-range airliners. Nearly every other airline in the world is doing a version of the same thing, replacing huge jets with smaller ones.
The newer planes, which include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, are redrawing the map for global air travel. They can fly just as far as the jumbos, but often are less expensive to operate on a per-seat basis. They allow airlines to offer multiple flights on routes that once justified only a single big aircraft. That helps fill seats and boost profits.
For passengers, this is a mixed blessing. As planes get smaller and flights more frequent, long-haul travel is taking on some of the cattle-car characteristics of domestic travel—inexpensive tickets, cramped seats and no free meals.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
40 years in the air was a good run.
...
The 747 almost bankrupted Boeing. They came close to selling the rights to the 737 to Japan in order to pay off the debt.
In October, 1970 during the early introductory days of the 747, I flew from Chicago to Denver on a United 747. Most pleasant flight ever. They were going out of their way to impress the public with the new jumbo jet. I spent the whole airborne 2 hour flight in the spacious piano bar just aft of the cockpit. Nice mellow jazz, congenial conversation, smoking by most (no whining or bitching about the yet to be exploited “second hand smoke” canard), and free flowing drinks. I was a mile high myself by the time we a arrive8d at the mile high city. Those were the days...when America was still America.
They make it up by bolting the removed seats to the *outside* of the planes, offering a deep discount price.
Both cities figured in my travels by air.
As a new hireling, Xerox flew me first-class—Miami to Dallas/FW on a 747. Memorable trip, never having flown 1st class since.
When I was 8-years-old, I flew ALONE from Honolulu to Boston. Aircraft? DC-4(s) maybe DC-6(s).
That certainly could be. You can lose two or three engines and still be able to fly to an emergency landing runway.
Also fun if you have time. Flight simulator.
This is why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSxSgbNQi-g
747s will still be flying 40 years from now.
Same here, United Flight 1 Ohare to Honolulu, August 1977. What an airplane!
First Airplane Ride was in a TWA Connie, still remember flying into Wier Cook! I was 7 years old and needed glasses!
Yup! I flew from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia in 1982.
I was in the last rightmost window seat. Packed in with at least half a company of Marines and one poor sailor. The young Marine beside me started slamming Jack Daniels (drinks were free back then) and wound up puking on himself. Half the flight was standing behind me by the toilets gabbing. It was horrible.
However, almost everyone got off in Honolulu, and when we boarded again, there were only 5-6 of us in the whole back end.
Stretched out and slept like a baby on the middle row of seats. The pretty stewardesses were very fun and friendly. Must have been 8 hours to Auckland, NZ, and then another 4-54 to Sydney. They sprayed us all with bug spray in Auckland. Took a LONG time. It took me a couple of days to get my jet-lagged head right.
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.
A great plane, but time for retirement.
I recall a DC-3 flight from Lashio, Burma to Rangoon in 1985. The plane was filled with tattooed Shan tribals, one of whom was carrying a cerise colored orchid as big as a dinner plate. The seats were barely bolted and the floorboard was holed. When I left the plane I checked and found that it had been produced in 1935. Fifty years and still going! I wouldn’t be surprised if it was still in use today.
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.
I went on a Constellation they’re re-doing in Missouri.
If it has three tails, go by rail.
“Most pleasant flight ever”
Wouldn’t the comfortable-ness of the seats and other amenities be more important than the type of aircraft?
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