Hi guys,
The last commercial KLM 747 passenger flight, from Mexico to Amsterdam (KL686, PH-BFT, City of Tokyo), is expected to land Sunday March 29, around 15:20 local time at Schiphol airport...
Live to see at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBZWabGWByTp5EJNIHP7vew/videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBZWabGWByTp5EJNIHP7vew/videos).
The passenger versions of KLM 747's would have flown until the summer of 2021 but due to the corona crises they have to leave the stage earlier, pity.
Nico
It also appears that Qantas has brought forward the retirement of their remaining 5 747-400ER aircraft.
The last Qantas 747 flight was operated by VH-OEE as QF28 from Santiago de Chile to Sydney on March 28. Whilst Qantas was planning to operate the 747 until later in 2020, obviously the effects of COVID-19 have hastened the process.
For the time being in Sydney we will still see the odd 747F operated by either Atlas or UPS and perhaps the Thai Airways 747-400 should they resume services with this aircraft after all of this is over.
https://samchui.com/2020/03/28/qantas-to-retire-b747-this-weekend/#.XoB-94gzaHt (https://samchui.com/2020/03/28/qantas-to-retire-b747-this-weekend/#.XoB-94gzaHt)
Cargolux has 26 744/744ERF/747/8 and it looks like they are still expanding their fleet.
The Lufthansa 747s are currently doing a lot of repatriation flights for stranded German and other EU nationals, all over the world, going to destinations not in the standard timetable, going as far as Auckland (via Haneda) or Lima or Asuncion in South America.
I'm not aware that Lufthansa ever flew (edit: a pax aircraft) to New Zealand before... (they did fly to YSSY in the 90s)
I also noted a Wamos Air 747 flying non-stop from Honolulu to Frankfurt to pick up stranded cruise ship passengers.
Markus
I see that Austrian Airlines just did a non-stop Vienna to Sydney flight in one of their 777-200ERs.
https://simpleflying.com/austrian-airlines-vienna-sydney/ (https://simpleflying.com/austrian-airlines-vienna-sydney/)
Lots of interesting flights taking place at the moment with airlines and countries trying to get people home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxLHqhoSHjs
Last landing of KLM revenue flight from Mexico City at Schiphol. Same landing as video above... different camera.
Quote from: Roddez on Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:23
I see that Austrian Airlines just did a non-stop Vienna to Sydney flight in one of their 777-200ERs.
What? And when I took a (Lauda) 777 from Vienna to Sydney in 2003 they had me stop over (same aircraft in and out) in Kuala Lumpur!
I complain!
Hoppie
Last Sunday, I drove over to Amsterdam Schiphol airport to witness this last KLM 747-400 landing. The police had warned the public to stay away due to the Corona virus. There was probably a couple of dozen spotters all well spread out along the fence. The police was out, but did not interfere. It was very very cold, icy wind.
So here are my last images of a KLM 747-400 ever
(http://www.hoppie.nl/forum/var/P3290034-2.jpg)
(http://www.hoppie.nl/forum/var/P3290062-2.jpg)
I have flown on the 747 countless times. I have been around the world on it. When we lived in India, KLM used the 744 on the Delhi-Amsterdam route most of the time. Sad to see the queen go. Mind you, the Cargo version is likely to be ini the air for a good number of years of course.
Jeroen
As much as I understand the nostalgic side of the act, I do not understand why a company like KLM even thinks to organise or accept such an act (considering the cost of the act).
Pretty sure the guy in the left seat has done this with some sadness but he should have plenty of security. It's nothing compared to the feelings of the vastly lower paid people who helped him to organise this flight and who are about to be made redundant with all financial troubles resulting from it. If you had just taken the cost of this action and divided it over all who was made redundant, that would've been something...
Quote from: Markus Vitzethum on Sun, 29 Mar 2020 12:27
The Lufthansa 747s are currently doing a lot of repatriation flights for stranded German and other EU nationals, all over the world, going to destinations not in the standard timetable, going as far as Auckland (via Haneda) or Lima or Asuncion in South America.
El Al also does these kinds of flights per demand (otherwise they are on the ground) but with the B787 and not B747 (from the Jumbo all left is a drawing in the sky).
They flew to Lima and Melbourne in a bypass route. The flight from MEL was a record (for El Al) of 17:15 hours after they were on the ground for a very short time (it was about 40 hours trip).
(http://www.hoppie.nl/forum/var/ELY043_LLBG_SPJC_0320.jpg)
(http://www.hoppie.nl/forum/var/ELY086_YMML_LLBG_020420.jpg)
Cheers,
And no! Two KLM 744s got recalled from early retirement and are now adding 250 tonnes (together) of freight capacity between AMS and two Chinese cities, to supply the Philips medical equipment factories.
Didn't find English news on it yet.
https://www.nu.nl/economie/6043712/
Both combi's
https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/klm-to-redeploy-parked-combi-aircraft/