The magnificent Boeing 747 jumbo jet, sometimes called Queen of the Skies, has been an integral part of the Qantas fleet for almost 50 years – which is why the Australian airline is putting them on domestic services, to give customers a chance to experience them before the final one departs next year.
The B747 has a special place in the hearts of many Qantas passengers, but the airline is phasing them out.
The greatest four-engine passenger airliner ever, the 747 transformed international travel and brought long-haul tourism to the masses. It first flew in 1969, year of the Beatles’ last public performance, meeting a growing worldwide demand for air travel.
The only other four-engine aircraft in its class is the much newer Airbus A380, currently the public favourite and the Qantas flagship.
Four-engined airliners are loved by the public, but distrusted by airline accountants. Four engines burn more fuel than two engines and fuel is costly, so four-engined airliners are on the way out. Two-engined airliners are taking over. The arithmetic is plain.
When an engine breaks down in flight, however, four-engined planes come into their own. It’s better to have three good engines left than one – arithmetic features in that, too.
Qantas has confirmed it will deploy several B747s on Australian domestic services between November and February 2020 at the end of this year and early next year.
The aim is to give customers a final opportunity to fly on the jumbo without the need for a passport.
Takeoff! Qantas Boeing 747
Upcoming Qantas domestic B747 services include:
- SYD-BNE QF524 9 Nov 2019
- SYD-ADL QF743 23 Nov 2019
- SYD-MEL QF417 31 Dec 2019
- SYD-MEL QF439 15 Feb 2020
- BNE-SYD QF529 11 Nov 2019
- ADL-SYD QF736 25 Nov 2019
- MEL-SYD QF438 1 Jan 2020
- MEL-SYD QF400 17 Feb 2020
Written by Peter Needham
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