British Airways announced on Monday that the first of their retiring fleet of Boeing 747-400s will depart London Heathrow at 9:00 AM local time on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. The aircraft, registration G-CIVD will depart as flight BA9170E after 25 years of service.
Last month, British Airways announced the early retirement of their Boeing-747-400 fleet which was accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, the carrier announced that the first of their retiring B747s, registration G-CIVD will depart London-Heathrow on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at 9:00 AM local time as flight number BA9170E. London planespotters will have an opportunity to see the grand old “Queen of the Skies” depart on Tuesday morning after 25 years of magnificent service with the airline. In Monday’s announcement, British Airways’ Director of Flight Operations, Al Bridger said,
“All of us at British Airways and so many of our customers have fond memories and special moments from our travels on the iconic jumbo jet. As a pilot who was lucky enough to fly the aircraft, the sheer scale of it was unforgettable, you literally looked down on the aircraft. It changed aviation forever when it arrived in the skies and I know I speak for our customers and the global aviation community when I say, despite rightly moving to more sustainable ways of flying, we will miss the 747 dearly.”
The Boeing 747 has been an iconic part of the British Airways’ fleet for nearly fifty years, with the first departure between London and New York in 1971. The company has been slowly phasing out the fuel-inefficient fleet, once numbering 57 aircraft, as part of their commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. British Airways has invested heavily in their fleet and the 747s will be replaced by six Airbus A350s and 32 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are 25 percent more fuel-efficient. Video footage and photos of the aircraft’s final Heathrow departure will be available for download from the British Airways Media Centre on Tuesday.
Source: British Airways