Boeing 747 Fleet Grounded Early as British Airways Cuts Losses

British Airways made the difficult decision to retire its Boeing 747 fleet four years ahead of schedule in 2020 due to the pandemic. The airline, which once operated 57 jumbos, had originally planned to phase out these aircraft by 2024.

The Boeing 747s were delivered between 1986 and 1999 and served key routes including Australia and North America. These aircraft featured innovations such as flat-bed seats in some cabins.

Only three of the retired airframes have been preserved, with two now used for media production or corporate events at UK airfields. A fourth plane, intended for heritage display in Wales, was unfortunately scrapped in 2021 after funding failed.