Why Won't Lufthansa Retire the 747?
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- Опубликовано: 28 апр 2024
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Chapters:
Intro - 0:00
Lufthansa & the 747 - 1:27
The Importance of Premium Travel - 4:58
A Competitive Differentiator - 7:05
One Missing Piece - 10:05
Solving the Puzzle - 11:35
Outro - 12:14
________________________________________________________________________
Earlier this year, the last 747 ever built rolled off the assembly line in Everett Washington. This historic moment was punctuated by a grand ceremony that saw thousands of Boeing employees in attendance, speeches from Boeing’s top brass, and even a surprise visit from John Travolta. But arguably the most interesting moment of the show came when Carsten Spohr - Lufthansa’s CEO - took the stage and said this:
“We at Lufthansa are currently looking into another upgrade of the 747-8…to fly this amazing airplane way into the next decade…and it’s something we are proud of that we are representing this airplane for many many more years”.
Now this unwavering commitment to the 747 might seem bizarre. After all, there’s a reason Boeing shut down production. Demand for the jet is nonexistent, and practically every airline has already phased it out. Only Lufthansa - the German Flag Carrier - has expressed any desire to keep it around. So what exactly does Lufthansa see in the plane that others don’t? Why won’t they retire the 747? Let me explain…
#747 #Boeing #Lufthansa 
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Another thing worth mentioning is the fleet age. The airlines who retired the 747 mostly had 747-400, but Lufthansa has 747-8 which is a much newer plane model. Lufthansa's newest 747 is from 2015, which is quite young for an airplane. It wouldn't make any sense to retire young planes.
Absolutely. Lufthansa's 747-8 fleet haven't even reached the halfway point of their useful life. Most likely Lufthansa is still making payments on most of them.
Lufthansa still has some 400s in their fleet, but they aren't looking to retire them soon.
@@fighter5583I think they will be phasing out the -400s just a few years time, as only the -8s are getting upgraded cabins
@@fighter5583😮😮ú😊
They bought about 20 of them...and it only took a handful of years to deliver them all.
The 747 with the vintage Lufthansa livery looks incredible
@@astafford8865what are you talking about? It looks amazing
@@astafford8865average 747 hater
@@astafford8865 It looks GREAT with it
I'm very fortunate to have seen that plane (albeit from afar) while taxiing at EWR a few weeks ago 😍
@@astafford8865You're wrong! Many airlines had their 747's noise painted black. Check historical pics. Air India, TWA, Lufthansa, etc are just three examples. There are many more.
I flew on an Iberia 747 AND a 747 Pan Am Clipper in 1977. I was 10 years old and wanted to see the whole thing. The flight attendants let me go upstairs and poke around. I still have a clear picture of the nose bulkhead in memory. Awesome experience for a 10 year old.
There’s a saudia 747
Still not retired
@@Singapore-Aviation72it’s government owned
like Royal air marocs 747
My father flew the pan am clipper 747 in the 90s from LAX to JFK.
And another big factor: The delay of new airplanes (i.e. the 777X).
The demand is so high after the pandemic, that Lufthansa uses all airplanes available.
The A340, A380 and 747-400 were considered dead when the pandemic started. But now everyone is happy to see them flying again and Lufthansa can match the demand with them.
And not enough pilots to support the passenger load unless you use the biggest plane available.
In fact, it's likely Lufthansa will keep their A380 and 747-8 fleets flying until at least 2032. Hopefully by 2032, they wil have enough 777-9's to replace both planes.
im pretty sure lufthansa will go for the A350 due to the complications with the B777X.. and Airbus might do a neo version of the A350 due to the 777x's superior engines. We'll see..@@Sacto1654
Adding one more; LH is been hedging the fíuel since 9/11.
why 'hopefully' about the 777? Boeing fan?@@Sacto1654
I'm German who used to live in Boston. When I visited my family at home, I often flew with the 747. It's always a great memory to look back at
Love seeing Lufthansa 747-8s at Logan in the summer.
Last year, I was jump seating to my first trip as an airline pilot and it was on a Boeing 747-8F. Told the Captain I had never been on a 747 before and he said "Perfect, you're sitting in the observer seat for the best view!" Such a smooth and quiet ride, like being in a big Cadillac!
Was this on a US carrier?
I've flown on the upper deck on a Lufthansa 747-8 from Frankfurt to Tokyo. Was a truly unique and amazing experience
One key factor not mentioned in the video is the massive amount of cargo that the 747 can carry while being fully booked.
A massive advantage compared to e.g. the A350, 787 etc
Especially while covid kept passenger numbers down that was a huge factor to keep the 747s in the air
747's are still very popular with cargo lines.
Yup. I wonder when they turn the A380 into a hybrid-freighter with passengers on the upper and cargo on the lower deck.
Similar to the KLM 747-400 you can visit in Lelystad, NL Museum.
As a former flight attendant for LH this was my favourite plane to work in . I always enjoyed the views outside to the engines in action over e Greenland . They looked like art . Yes i mis my Jumbo !
How was it to work for a company that sell tickets to a flight, and then cancell it without letting people know , and afterwards wouldnt compensate and refund? Good for you , that you dont work there anymore.
@@kongvolmerii2683 If I read such comments, my usual recommendation: fly a desert airline.
@@kongvolmerii2683Thank you for your constructive feedback and for what it is worth I miss the job .
I guess happy landings for you ? 😊
Yes quita a new experience paying for a plane ticket at get a trip for the money, instead of the fraud company LH , who are just thieves. @@TheLuftie
At Heathrow, occasionally one could spot a “five engine” 747 - it was carrying a spare engine attached under the wing to be installed on a sister aircraft which was away from its home base and needed an engine replacement.
I might be wrong, but I believe only Qantas has ever done it over a significant distance (Sydney to Johannesburg)
@@smalltime0yes you are correct
I emigrated from Argentina to Barcelona with the Aerolíneas Argentinas 747 in 2002. Being 6yo made me keep a super cool sensation about the plane. It was HUGE! I got super engaged into the airplanes world and, from then on, I kept pushing to study aeronautics. I finally achieved it some years ago!
I love that plane!
Back in 2017, Thai Airways ran a limited-time 747-400 service to Singapore, my home city and my family was travelling to Thailand that year, so the timing was perfect. A flight attendant showed me to the upper deck and nose section after landing and as a cherry on top, we deplaned via stairs in Bangkok. I got some great shots of the outside of the 747, holding up everyone behind me.... I really treasure that experience. I was born too late to become an avgeek when the 747 ruled the long-haul space, the 777 had taken over substantially. However, it will always be iconic and I enjoy listening to older avgeeks tell their 747 stories. I hope to fly on one again, especially a -400, before they are all retired. Asiana, Air China and Lufthansa operate them at the moment. Speaking of Lufthansa, they might as well be renamed "Avgeek Airlines", for they fly almost every western-built quadjet you can imagine. I really want to get a flight on their A340-600, cause that thing looks so unique.
When I was roughly 12 years old my brother and I got to sit in the cockpit jump seats as our seats for the whole flight from FRA-YUL on Air Canada's 747 (my mother was a AC FA at the time). It was a memory I will never forget and led to my interest in aviation. I remember seeing the news paper article when AC retired the 747 and they painted a tear beside the cockpit window, as a kid it made me sad that I would likely never fly one of these amazing airplanes. 20 years later I am currently employed as a 787 FO for Air Canada.
When the 747 started flying by American Airlines, they were promoting flights to San Juan Puerto Rico from JFK. Back then if you were related to a crew member, you were allowed to go on the upper deck. There was a piano bar. I was just 12, but I experienced the upper level. Such a great memory
Also, Lufti’s 747s, especially the -8i are capable of carrying a significant cargo load on top of a fully booked passenger load on most sectors, which also produces some nice revenue.
As an 11 year old, 43 years ago, I flew in a BA 747 by myself from SFO to LHR to meet my mother and travel all over Europe. The crew where expectational and the most memorable experience specifically was having the opportunity aa a young buck to see and sit with the pilots and engineer ( was a 747-200 as there was three crew member in the cockpit). The views were all inspiring!
I have worked for four airlines the last 30 years. One of those airlines was northwest airlines. I worked on the 747 until laid off. I only flew on the 747 once in couch when I was a teenager. I always wanted to fly on a 747 in first class. One day god willing I will get a chance to do so.
I would look to fly A380 if I were you. Especially in Business class, its an incredible experience above any other large jet
"Couch" class is very relaxing, I hear.
@@frequentlycynical642i mean, coach class was basically couch class at the time when you compare it to now
@@marko_ys Well said.
As time seems to go by faster and faster every year, I love the fact that I still can see dozens of 747s - and also A340-300s! - at Frankfurt (the nearest big airport to me) in 2023, almost the same way I could in the mid 1990s. Even the 747-400 has been a common sight last time I was there. I remember when I was a child, those 2 machines were state-of-the-art at that time.
Yeah, Frankfurt is pretty great for spotting older planes. Until next spring, you can see the Condor 767, including D-ABUC (currently holds the record for most hours on a passenger aircraft and even flew for Lufthansa back in the 90s). A lot of 757-300s, too. There are daily A300s doing work for DHL, sometimes you see cargo 757s as well. And some of the Lufthansa fleet is getting near or even past 30 years of age.
Frankfurt is Lufthansa's museum, the modern planes like the A350 and A380 are only based in Munich.
I flew on a 747 with United between Auckland and LA in August 2001. I still have the photos of being invited up into the cockpit. Was incredible for a kid, and an opportunity that would soon disappear.
I worked for Boeing for 20 years, and started in the Everett, 747 plant. It was increbable to see the Queen of the Sky being built. The "in person size was awesome.
I do remember in 1969 (I just graduated from high school) seeing the first flight of the 747. Later that year my Dad took me to LAX to see the 747 in person at one of the terminal.
As much travelling as I have done, I did not fly on my first 747 until 2017 when I flew back from Frankfurt. My wife and I flew on the upper deck in business class and it was like you described it - FANTASTIC. I did feel like we were the only passengers on the plane, with special service extra wide aisle and spacious seats. I really can't imagine how Lufthansa can make the experience any better, but I will look forward to chncking it out on my next trip. We have flown on BA 747, upper and lower decks since then and have been very disappointed with BA. The ying-yang seating is terrible and I will avoid it when ever I can.
Great explaination of why Lufthansa is still flying the 747 - Thanks.
I worked at Boeing on the flight test program for the 747 back in 1969, what a great plane, Flew once on number 2 to NM FOR LANDING GEAR ,BRAKE TESTING, quite an experience
Long live the queen 🥲
Long live the queen 🫡
@@Electric140You mean John Travolta?
No queen of the sky is Boeing 747
I'm still planning a trip just so I can fly on the 747. I'll miss seeing the Jumbo and the A380 when they are gone!
The A380 is a much nicer plane...m5c
Both will be around for another 15 years, at least in Lufthansa's fleet
747s are still my favorite planes which I have flown on. The size and smoothness are just incredible. I also feel a lot more confident when I see 4 engines on a plane, especially on a long distance flight over water!
I first time I flew on a 747 I was five years old. My father was in the army, and the entire family was moving back to the mainland US from Hawaii. This was in 1982, so I assume the move to Hawaii was also on a 747, given the planes in that era but I cannot be sure because there were other widebodies around that could made that trip. It was the first time I remember flying precisely because it was the flight against which all others were measured until now. I always hated how small the others planes were and I would always look for the spiral staircase. This flight from Honolulu to Oakland was long and I was a small child. This was a time before mobile phones and IFE so to pass the time I wandered around the aircraft. I can remember all of the cigarette smoke and trying to peek up the stairs to the upper deck. Eventually, my restlessness caught the crew's attention and they invited me to the flight deck. This was the moment I became obsessed with airplanes. This was a time before 9/11 so accessing the flight deck was fairly common, even during the cruise. I met the Captain and FO. They gave me a pair of PAN-AM flight wings. I cherished those wings for many years until I lost them during the many moves around the country as my dad was moved to new duty stations. I also flew on TWA 747's to and from Europe in the late 80s. The 747 will always be my favorite and I won't ever forget flying in a Pan-Am 747 Clipper.
Watching you for many years and this is one of your best Colby! As an AV Geek, I flew business class on ABYT (the retro) last year. As you know, it was/is amazing walking up the stairs for the first time. I had flown coach on a TWA -200 in 1981 and a United -400 in 2017, but the -8 top deck experience is unparalleled. I love it so much I am back on Lufty's top deck in November and taking the whole family for the same experience in June. If the rotation works out, that would put me on half of the -8 fleet. Lufthansa has it right, I am going to continue to fly the -8 as many times as I can until they are retired. Thanks again for making the video!
The avgeek in me was so sad when it became obvious that the 747 line was coming to an end. I’ve flown them many times, on many airlines (United, Qantas, Singapore, Delta, Air China, Lufthansa, Air New Zealand, etc) both in coach and business, lower deck and up top. It is, by far, my favorite airliner for long haul flights. There is nothing quite like hearing all four engines spin up to takeoff thrust and push the big jet down the runway and gracefully up into the sky. Looking out the window and seeing the two big turbofan engines on the wing gives a sense of comfort. The A-380 is nice, but it always feels big and floppy to me, where the 747 feels smooth and steady.
can I ask what you do for a living, given that you have had the privilege to travel so much? :)
@@arwintork2539 I work in factory automation.
I agree! The 747 was a totally unique experience. I flew an American 747 with a piano lounge on board!
Sorry but your comment is rubbish! I loved flying the 747 but Airbus A380 is on a whole other level! From the lower noise inflight ,and the enormous thrust on take off plus the absolute in flight stability it is exactly the opposite ! The 747 feels sloppy and strained in flight!
I am Italian, living in the Bergamo Province in Northern Italy. Back in 2010, my family and I took a trip to Northern California with my cousins. Our long-haul flight was from Frankfurt to San Francisco. For a bit more context, I was the eldest of the seven kids, and I was only 14, while the youngest two were barely 4. We flew in business class on the 747. Differently from what was said in the video, at the time, on that plane, business class was a the front of the lower deck. We thought it was so cool to be "in the nose" of the plane. To this day, I think it's very cool to see the fuselage narrowing. It was the first time we flew business class, so we were impressed by the good service, how amicable the staff was, and the fact that we were offered wine or orange juice upon boarding. We were also given kids' kits, and we still use those Lufthansa cards while at the beach or in airports. We took up most of the cabin. Take off! We are now flying over Greenland in the Arctic, and a passenger smells something weird coming from the hold door. Hostess, stewards, and then what I imagine was the co-pilot came to check. Some time went by, then the announcement: not knowing exactly what that was, the captain decided to go back to Frankfurt, given that we still had most of the flight ahead of us. We land back in Frankfurt, but there is not another plane ready. We waited hours on the plane, well taken care of by the cabin crew. Finally, another 747 is ready for us. We switched over and off we went again, to California! It was an adventure, and we still talk about it sometimes. We got to spend extra time in Lufthansa's business class and got to fly on two 747s. We later flew on the third one on our way back to Europe. The travel experience was a hoot! Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to fly on a 747 since. I hope I will again soon.
I was able to fly on a BA 747 from London to Phoenix a few years back in business class, and it was awesome! I was on the top deck, which is something I've always wanted to do and it did not disappoint. Moreover when we were taxiing for take off we went past an old Concorde at Heathrow, I never thought I'd ever be able to see one. It was definitely a flight to remember!
My mom, sister, and I were on a BA 747 in economy LHR - JFK. My dad and I did business class ORD - LHR in a heavy J BA 747, I was downstairs and my dad was on the upper deck. Such an amazing experience, and truly an opportunity to be a part of history.
The first time I saw a 747 was in the very early 70's at Kai Tak in Hong Kong. The "big" planes we were used to flying on were either the Boeing 707 or the DC8. Both looked so small next to the jumbo. Walking on the plane was the most amazing experience and as a kid totally in awe. These were the days when one dressed up to fly. Today's Premium Economy, is yesterday's economy.
I had my office window facing Kai Tak and it was awesome seeing every afternoon the 747 coming in over Kowloon. We also knew how the weather gonna be, the direction they took off. Great times
I've been passionate about planes since I was 3 years old as a family friend was first officer on the 747 with AirFrance. When I was about 6 years old I flew AirFrance to Paris and begged the flight attendant to let me go see the pilot's on the flight deck. They finally let me when we had reached cruising altitude, the captain told me to change the heading on the autopilot and I just felt this enormous aircraft bank to the right. A surreal moment that defined many of my life choices as now I am soon going to start my ATPL training. No wonder the Queen of the Skies is my favourite aircraft!
Btw I really want that sweatshirt !
I flew on a 747 from the US ( maybe Newark?) to Athens, Greece on Olympic Airways. We were in business class, and on the upper deck with very few others. What I remember most about this flight is that Olympic still l allowed smoking, and the cabin was very cloudy from the smokers. It seems Ive flown another time on the 747, but I cant recall the circumstances.
Great video, Coby. Youre cinematography and story telling have increased significantly in the past year. Keep up the great work.
Coby, your publications have become more and more sophisticated. You did a particularly nice job of this one.
I love living on the east coast but all through my life I've vacationed in Southern California every few years.
The 747 and L10-11 have always been my favorite.
On one trip coming back from LAX our 747 was overbooked with only 8 first class seats left. The airline took the next eight passengers waiting and put us all in first class from LAX to JFK with no additional cost to us.
It was absolutely the best flight I've ever had. We ate and drank the whole way home and trust me free booze and elegant dinners all the way back to NYC was fantastic.
I flew on the 747 upper deck on NW and DL more times than I can count. NW once upgraded the whole family from Tokyo to Honolulu; my teenage kids thought the upper deck was an unforgettable experience. The old 200-model with just 12 seats and the circular stairway was even better than the 400 or 800 - truly a private jet experience. A terrific upper deck benefit is two bathrooms for very few passengers - no waiting! The only potential downside to the upper deck is in the unlikely event you have to evacuate, it’s a really long ride on the slide. I’m sure the cabin crews who have to train on this every year don’t miss those thrill rides from that high up.
I flew the 747 in 2015, I was just 17 years old then, it was with Qatar airways, my Dad got me the business class ticket, it was so comfortable and very friendly flight crew, the pilots offered me to take a look at the cockpit, that was the best and unforgettable experience ever had in my life. I still wish to fly the Lufthansa 747 too, maybe on my next journey.
qatar airways didn't have any 747 in 2015.... 🤔
Thanks for this informative, comprehensive and yet short video. I have been flying the LH First Class on board the 747-8 as well as the A380. Objectively speaking, the Airbus defeats the Boeing because of its quietness and the bigger, far more comfortable lavatory which you must not underestimate on a long-haul flight. But sitting inside that nose, with a view almost forward thanks to the curvature of the fuselage, and, what's more, in front of the pilot? Priceless 😃
Fully agree, same experience here. The A380 is a much quieter expreience. But 1A in the 748 is special. Also you can hold hands with your significant other in 1K should you wish so as the aisle is so narrow in the nose :)
@@whiskeysk OK, maybe I just have to find a flight on 747 upper deck in front just for fund. Do You know the routes it is operated on?
@@IndiafanFromGermany On Lufthansa's 747-8 the first class is actually in the nose on the lower deck, hence the comment in the video that you're actually flying in front of the pilot. The older Lufthansa 747-400 had the first class on the upper deck. Not sure which routes the 747-8 flies these days, mine were Haneda and Sao Paulo, both to/from Frankfurt.
You must spend a lot of time in lavatories 😂
@@ACPilot Sorry, don't understand the joke. Coby, please explain 😉
My first commercial flight was in '86 in a SAA 747 Super B called Outeniqua (range of mountains in SA) flight 337 from johannesburg to Capetown. I recall getting on the shuttle bus and drove a distance to the aircraft. The size was just mind-boggling. The Super B also had the kitchen down the one side in business class (parallel to the fuselage). A few years back I looked online to what happened to the aircraft. It was sold on and flew for both air Namibia and alliance air before being decommissioned in the 2000s.
As a child I was a regular on the 747SP from Iran Air. There was nothing more glorious than seeing that plane on the tarmac in all it's glory after landing in Tehran.
In 1985 my brother and I flew from Frankfurt to Philadelphia on a Northwest Orient 747. It was the greatest flight I ever took because it was a reserved military personnel flight with no class differentiation and we got seats in the front row of the upper deck. Never able to afford those seats on a commercial flight, it was the closest thing to experiencing it as our meals came to us before the flight attendants made the meal announcement to the rest of the passengers.
A super smooth and quiet flight, I will never forget that experience.
My most memorable experience with a 747 was a flight with JAL from Frankfurt to Tokyo Narita in Economy Class, as that Airline had some of the Economy seats placed on the upper deck. I suppose it was a 747-300 back in the early 1990s.We were a group of high school students, and wow! did we feel like politicians or business executives or - just millionaires.
Thank you Coby for another great video. There is nothing to compare the feeling of an almost private jet on the upper deck of 747 with an A380. I'm always ready to pay a few bucks more for flying on the queen. I flew on 747-400 with some airways but I have a strange history of my relations with Lufthansa. I booked it several times but always had to cancel the tickets for different reasons. Now I cross my fingers to be able to fly on 747-800 this winter,
I took the 747 many times with Air France to visit my family in Guadeloupe when i was kid! This plane litteraly gave me the love and passion for aviation. I used to sée it as fantastic airplane back then, i just realize by watching your video, how lucky i was. I flew with the 747-300 and 747-400 for ten years !
Flew in a couple in 1988, I was a 17 year old student from NZ to Hong Kong, to the old Kai Tak airport. I asked to go up to the Cockpit and they allowed it, so it really was a memorable and extra special flight!!!
Back in 2007 my dad took my sister and I to Australia and we flew there on a Qantas 747. I don't remember as much as I'd like, but I do remember staying up to look at the moon.
I am a big aviation geek, however I've only gotten the opportunity to fly on the A320 family inside of Europe. One of my biggest dreams is flying on the two biggest planes there are: The 747 and the A380.
You should try out the 737, it's a big piece of aviation history. And affordable on Ryanair.
I'm 36, I kind of never appreciated the 747 like the 90s cars I took for granted. Was going through photos a while ago and there's pics of me at airport gates with the 747 sitting outside.
They remind me of better times.
I have been traveling many years and practically on most of the modern planes, but had the luck to flew on a 747 operated by Lufthansa from Santiago to Frankfurt and it was a great experience. It is a fast plane, you really feel the power on the take off, feel so secure on flight and service was almost perfect. So good news to hear that they will keep these amazing planes on the air for the next years, I am looking forward to get into another one soon.
The 747 was the first widebody I ever flew. Back in 2019, I had the pleasure of flying aboard one with British Airways from JFL-LHR. It was also my first overseas trip from the US, making it extra special. Little did I know that just a few short years later, BA would be retiring them, hastened by the global pandemic.
You should have put in a mention of the A380 in your video. Lufthansa apparently sold 6 of its 14 A380s back to Airbus and will retain 8 for its operations. A mention as to why Lufthansa did this (and the economics behind that decision) would actually help explain why Lufthansa maintains such a high number of 747s in its fleet (8 400s and 19 8is). Because anyone would ask if you're going to use the "very large 4 engined aircraft" argument to promote the premium seating angle, people are going to ask "et tu A380?"
Sources tell me that the A380 is way less economical than the 747-8 - hence why they're keeping the Boeing even though the A380 has more space for premium seating. There wasn't a really good place for me to make this point in the video without it sounding out of place, though
Still, it's the natural question that I was asking throughout the video. Why Lufthansa, which obviously has more ties to Airbus, keeps the 747 and gets rid of the A380?@@cobyexplanes
@@cobyexplanes the fact that the A380 is not economical is quite well known for airlines not named Emirates as everyone in Aviation knows that you need to consistently fill this jet to have good economics, whereas the 747-8i has less of this problem (and Boeing designed the 747-8 specifically for this reason).
@tahnalos4543 indeed, you are more likely to fill out a 747 thank an a380. Although some have say the a380 is more efficient. I think it's all depends.
I used to fly from Sydney to USA several times a year from 1978.
My favourite plane was the Pan Am 747SP (special performance) which entered service in 1976.
It is shorter and designed for longer range i.e. Sydney to LA/SF non stop.
The seats even in economy were very wide and leg room exceptional.
Often the flights were lightly booked, and I remember on many occasions being able to stretch out across 5 seats and have a proper sleep.
In contrast, many other trans Pacific flights would land in Honolulu, and be several hours late taking off. I hated that.
A fantastic breakdown and analysis, Cody. Thank you so much.
RIP queen of the skies 😢
What a supremely beautiful airplane!!!
Great video! It's great to know about lufthansa and its relationship with the 747. Appreciate it. Keep up awesome work.
First time up top was a complimentary upgrade on a LHR-LAX flight in the 90s. It was a couple of days before Xmas so Heathrow was chaotic, and with a late evening flight after a hectic week at work we did not appreciate the boarding crew member taking our paper boarding passes (remember those) and ripping them up in front of us as we went to board. I was about to give him a piece of my mind, thinking we were being bumped off due to a full plane, when he said "you won't be needing those, you're sitting upstairs".
I think my wife burst into tears of relief and gratitude. Still seems like yesterday too.
Great Video. Used to fly Lufthansa 747 down to Australia . Actually the experience was really excellent - it was really comfortable, spacious and quite and the service really good. Also went to China, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and of course New York. I, like many others, really enjoyed flying the 747 around the globe often in the nose and sometimes in the upper deck. Take off's surreal as very quite and very smooth. On the way ahead there was a lot of space so could work on presentations and going through reports and stats. Following very long and intensive days could board the 747 and enjoy the Lufthansa service. At first a simple cup of really good coffee with excellent German bread and cheese and starting to relax. Then of course the full service. I had many flights and hours in the 747 400 and I enjoyed all of them - a bit like a second home. Really pleased to see Lufthansa holding on to them and upgrading them - excellent aircraft, trusted, enjoyed and valued by all of it's passengers! I guess it also makes quite a lot of money with airfreight too in view of the reduced number of passengers and large hold capacity.
I can not even count the number of times I have been on a 747. Twice around the world on them, one each way around. Many different carriers. It is my absolute favorite airplane, though I also really liked my flight on the Concord. And the 767 and 777 are also fantastic planes. I wish I had kept track of all the different types of airplanes I have been on... but I did not. As of now, the only commercial Boeing I have not been on is the 787... but I am hoping that might change soon. Very nice video and very informative, thank you for it.
I had great experiences on the 747 and 777. I have been on the 787 several times and I love it. Very comfortable, I think you'll like it too
I flew once in a 747-200 back in 1972. SJU-PHL , great experience. I became an ATP certified pilot a few years later , made a career out of it but never had the chance to fly in the 747 again, weird.
flew twice during early childhood, long-haul. it was other-worldly and seemed vast. then as a teenager london to new york. still awe-inspiring and i remember how it swayed gently like a ship on the ocean.
An important feature not stressed is that The 747 typically flies FASTER than others. Live in Mexico, and recent flights from Mexico City to Frankfurt were all an hour shorter on Lufthansa's 747a than on other airliners. Great service on a wonderful aircraft.
The 747-8 is an expression of modern combined with nostalgia.
People like to cite the A380. The A380 (in my mind) is an excersise in excess, as the 747 is grand but restrained in comparison.
Interesting comment. Please expound.
What luck that you added "in your opinion". Because with this opinion you should be pretty much alone in the field. The technical progress in comfort, volume and space simply cannot be denied. I fly twice a year with the 747-8 and also twice with the A380. I love both but the A380 is on a different level.
747-8 are quite new so retire them soon would be strange. At the moment the 777x is super delayed so they need this big jets on the most congested and lucrative routes. At the moment First and business class on Lufthansa are pretty outadated but the new Allegris products can attract a lot of premium customers to pay back operative costs. As you said they have a maintenance advange over competitors
The 747-8i is very different and modern compared to all the rest which are not coming back. So sad only Korean and China bought them for passenger use as opposed to cargo.
I flew a lot in the 1970's and 1980's, across the USA (including Hawai'i) and to/from Asia and Europe. Most of the flights were on 747's. I loved the time I flew in the upper deck on a KLM flight, just as you said it was like being in your own plane, with a dedicated crew and your own bathrooms. One of my flights on Singapore Air from Singapore to Los Angeles was pretty empty so I was able to find an entirely empty row in the center section in coach class, fold up the armrests, and sleep fully horizontally. I remember seeing the first 747s in Honolulu when only Pan Am had them, it was simply amazing to us. I miss them now.
First time I flew a 747 I was maybe 8 years old. But I remember everything, including being upgraded to first class, having to return to our departure airport for technical reasons (a broken indicator light bulb, they found out, the most expensive operation of the year I guess), spending time in the first class lounge and going back on board to our destination. A great experience for the family! The second time was BA to NYC on the ‘red eye’. Back in the 90s flying was not as common as today. I had half of the economy class for myself, including a hostess. Tracy was her name, no spicy stories but she was lovely and gave me pink champagne that wasn’t but Chandon from California. And all the drinks I wanted. On the way back I flew in the economy converted top section with, again, a private air hostess. Officially the feet rest couldn’t be up (they were for business or first class configuration only), but I found the release cable and got it up for me and my neighbor. Love the plane and a Lufthansa flight with the queen is definitely on my bucket list.
Why won’t they retire the 747? Because it’s the most ledgendary plane of all time, video over.
4:10 Hold on...Where is Asiana😂
They use the one airframe of the older version of 747, and they’ll retire it next year
@@Blank00Still counts though
I recall flying on one of the first AA 747s from ORD-PHX in 1970. I still can still hear the PR person from AA saying announcing, "at 231 feet, the 747 is nearly twice the length of the Wright Brother's first flight!" Thanks for the video, well done. It inspires me to book the queen at least one more time.
My 747 story is a memory, my first memory! Flying from Athens to Detroit (I think through JFK) on TWA, I remember my dad carrying me through the gate and saying "there's our plane" and I could see out the window, the upper deck of the 747 over the gate. It's been my favorite plane ever since. That was 1977. I have flown on 747-400s on British Airways a couple times and a few on Northwest Airlines when they would shuttle a lot of people from Detroit to Minneapolis, and then on to Asia. My last flight on one was a Northwest Airlines 747-200 from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. I was so happy to be on it! Then in 2008, I had a great opportunity to fly an NWA 747-400 flight simulator as my friend was an instructor! With my friend as copilot telling me what to do, I was able to take off, fly around, and land the plane in Shanghai (Simulator) and not crash! I am told it was a hard landing and I landed between the runways, but I did it!
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As an Army brat. I flew Pam Am's 747 multiple times back and forth to West Germany in the 70's and 80's. I remember flight attendances giving my brother and myself Pam Am wings. I wish I still had them.
Grew up in the US, but Dutch origin, and we flew back to the Netherlands most summers I can remember as a kid. KLM's 747-200's saw a good number of our trips from ATL to AMS or back between 1980 and '86.
Most memorable experience for me was when I was 7 or 8 and on the overnight flight from ATL to AMS I was allowed to go up and see the cockpit. In exchange I had to "help" the cabin crew, I think I was supposed to help gather cups after a drinks service. I then also got a "crew breakfast" just before arrival and some plastic wings. I think my parents were even happier than I was, as the crew kep my inquisitive self entertained and they could sleep. ;-)
I was in Qantas when the first 747 delivery to Qantas happened. It is all emotional to see it keeping on flying. Every time i flied the 747 i feel much safer and calm, especially when it landed, so softly and so elegantly. I am looking forward to flying in it again as i did in so many trips back to Sydney.
Way back september of 2014, we flew on a 747-400 from Delta Airlines, economy class are great. Great leg room , great crew and specially great plane :)
I remember flying on the 747-200 from 1988 till mid 1995 several times. Have never had the same experience with other airplane types. Also stayed with the pilots for few hours admiring the analog cockpit. With the spiral staircase. Was such an amazing aircraft.
Flew in a B.A. 747 to kai tak airport , hk.
Descending, heading towards a chequered pattern on a hill before steeply banking, instant 50ft drop, then seeing the eyes of locals hanging their washing on the rooftops.
What a thrilling experience.
As a business traveler, I made many trips from the LAX to Melbourne on the 747 in Business Class starting in the early ‘90s. They are really the only memorable flights out of my thousands of flights over the years. I remember my first Quantas 747 flight. Sitting at the gate staring out at the 747, realizing for the first time how relatively narrow it looked from the front in relation to its height. I realized that all the pictures I had ever seen of the Queen of the Skies was from the side profile (which makes me love the sweatshirt design you made). I remember watching the ground crew fueling up the plane under the left wing as I looked at the “747 Long Reach” identifier about mid-plane under the pilot’s window. All I could think was “I sure hope they are topping that plane off with fuel!”.
I miss the 747.
I am glad Lufthansa won't give up on their 747s. There is one coming to Vancouver, BC from Frankfurt. A few days ago I went to the airport and took some photos of the 747 landing and then taking off. I was standing at the end of the runway and it took off right above me. What a beautiful beast!
I am 77 years old , a pilot, a business man and a Texas. The first trip over that big old ocean was in that big new Boeing 747-400 with those four big GE engines hanging outside the window. I loved every minute of the trip. On the return trip from England to Texas the Airplane seemed to have more seats and passengers than the the trip going East. I was seated in a group of English engineers so I ask them why. He said there is always more passengers to America than leaving. Interesting , that explains a lot.
My first recollection of being at an airport was seeing a Thai 747-400. I will never forget that day.
I love your enthusiasm. My wife and I flew a SWISS 747 from JFK to Zürich in 1987 for our honeymoon in Switzerland. We flew economy but our seats were on the lower deck in the nose of the plane. I remember thinking how cool it was not only to sit so far ahead of the engines, but also ahead of the flight crew. My previous flying experience had been 707s. Wow. What an experience. I remember oogling the staircase to the upper deck. Years later we immigrated to Switzerland where we live now. Over the years I only had a chance to fly the Queen of the Skies a few more times, British Air London to New York or Boston. I love this plane. I think everyone loves this plane. What's not to love? I think the only cooler plane ever designed and flown was the Concorde. I don't know what the passenger experience was like, but the plane looked cool. I saw a Concord take off from JFK as I waited to board the 747 flight described above. Bravo for this story.
Hi Koby. I'm new to your channel.
My 747 experience was in 1971, returning to the US while in the Navy. I had take leave to spend time in Holland, where I bought a motorcycle and toured the country. I shipped it back and flew KLM back. i was so impressed at the size of the plane. The stews (as we then called them) were beautiful, classy, and gracious. They gave me extra portions of the very good meal, and two took turns chatting with me. The in-flight movie was "Jaws," which scared the p*** out of me! I fell asleep to Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You." It was quite memorable landing at JFK, too. Customs was a breeze, and no cavity-searches at either end (of the flight!).
Ahhh... The old days of air travel.
PS Size Large, please, if you're still giving away shirts!
I thought this was very interesting! So I set off to do my own research on this topic.
When I came across this video, I had to watch it. It was so good that I'm citing it as my source.
And as it turns out, the information in your video tracks with my independent research. Absolutely spot on, bro!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful aircraft. I miss the 747-400s and from flying then for many years.
Yes, I do miss flying and working on these great aircraft. My former airline was United Airlines. And being a former Purser Flight Attendant I work in First Class all the time!! It was very nice to see and enjoy talking to the passengers there! ☺ Smile Having to fly the long-haul Chicago to Hong Kong was amazing! And working with nice other Flight Attendants was nice as well. The upstairs Business Class, yes, gave the total sense of flying a private jet! Don' t get wrong now, the 777s were and are great aircraft but the added upstairs on the 747s gave passengers a little more sparkle in the ski. ☺ Smile
I got to ride in a Lufthansa 747 from LA to Frankfurt in 2022. I did not realize at that point how special that was. I hated flying out of LAX, but I am grateful I can say I got to ride in one.
In 2012, I had been flying frequently between Chicago and several cities in China for work. After a few direct flights on boring 777-200s, I began looking for round-about routing that could get me to and from on more luxurious aircraft, and through more exotic cities. I once flew home from Hong Kong via Singapore (SQ A380), Dubai (EK A380), London (BA 747-400), to Chicago (BA 777-200) - all in business class. That leg on the BA 747 is the last flight I took on the queen - it was magical!
Thank you for this amazing tribute to the "Queen of the skies". I worked for UAL from 68-80 and when the Queen arrived at UAL, employees could not "non-rev" on the aircraft for the first five years because all seats were reserved for revenue passengers. I have flown on at least one hundred B747's all over the world and each experience has been exceptional. I still see many B747 at MIA, mostly in freight configuration, plus one beautiful
Lufthansa B-747 daily from Germany...
I flew on a lufthansa 747 when i was 7 years old and it was the best flight experience of my life, i was in the business class upstairs and it was so so fun, the flight attendants even let me go to the cockpit and talk with the pilots, i really want to fly on a 747 again.
My first time flying the 747 was on standby on august 27th. The flight showed full but thanks to the kind Lufthansa staff they somehow seated me with my own row and I was able to sleep the entire time on the way to Frankfurt from Chicago. The one thing I couldn’t stop thinking about was the beautiful hum from the engines. I must have took at least 20 photos of them
and am still amazed I had the chance to fly on the Queen of the skies. I am looking forward to flying then again
When I was 15, my father and I flew Qantas back to my homeland of New Zealand for a visit with family. At the time, my uncle was working for Qantas as a Senior Captain on 747s. As it turned out, he was the pilot for our return leg to the states and we got upgraded to the upstairs Business Class cabin! Fair to say that flying coach ever since has been tougher.....
When I was a kid, my family and I used to travel between Kuala Lumpur and Johannesburg a lot due to my dad's job. We would always fly on the Malaysia Airlines 747 and it truly was a magnificent aircraft. A flight that stood out to me was when MH recently retrofitted their first-class cabin and I was lucky enough to sit in it. Unfortunately, however, I unexpectedly threw up midflight and the whole seat was covered in puke. The crew was very understanding and helpful and noticed my embarrassment as well. They gave me a personal tour of the aircraft and brought me into the cockpit. Being my first time in a cockpit, I was in awe at how things operated and all the different buttons and screens. The captain and first officer were also very welcoming and tested my knowledge of aviation. I don't remember how long I sat in the jumpseat, all I wanted at the time was to sit in the captain's chair (you can't do that midflight) and hope the experience wouldn't end.
Being in my 50s I was able to fly a lot on 747. Especially since I have been a Swissair/Swiss International Airlines employee for years. Furthermore, one of my uncles has been a 747 captain for over 10 years. One day I walked into our OPC restaurant in the middle of the afternoon and found a rather loud festive group of people having a good party - only to find out that it was Uncle George's retirement party. I had the chance to listen to many many interesting jaw-dropping stories from his 747 life! I had a corner office overlooking runway 28 at Zurich Airport and seeing airplanes was something ordinary that passed every 90 seconds - so no need to pay attention - unless it was a 747! In those days - if you made it to the 747 cockpit crew you were definitely on top of the food chain in your airline! She really was the queen of the skies
I’ve flown on a 747 since a kid in the 80’s with my parents, PanAm, BA, Iberia (to Madrid) in my early twenties…but best experience was in my early 30’s on Virgin to England and upgraded to Premium Economy in-Flight and sat upstairs…..never had that experience even tho I had flown on a 747 when younger. I will always remember this as in the 80’s and 90’s when I flew with family….this was reserved for the rich, and now it was accessible to the middle class
I’m looking for a cheap(ish) Lufthansa Business Class B747 flight just to fly the queen for the first time, since they still fly them out of Washington Dulles. One of my earliest memories was when I was 5 and the last time I was on a B747, which was on one of Delta’s B747’s connecting through Tokyo, unbelievable experience, and probably one of the biggest reasons why i’m going into the commercial aviation field. Still have the image of that massive bird in my head. I’m honestly surprised that British didn’t stick with the B747, at least a few of them, since if you look at their B777’s, it’s crazy how premium heavy their cabins are. It could’ve been that BA were completely vexed with the B747 maintenance and decided to ditch it, but I’m surprised there wasn’t at least a small B747-8 order from BA back in the 2010’s
My mother sent my sister and I to Japan when we were in elementary school on Japan Airlines in the 70s. We were nervous but the flight attendants made us feel extremely comfortable. We had flown in the 747 before before but it was the first time by ourselves. About 3 hours before arrival they invited us into the cockpit. What! Captain Sato, yes i still remember his name, explained all the features and even let my sister program the next waypoint into the fms. Next he switched the radio and let us listen to Japanese baseball prigramming. In all we soent over an hour upstairs. Ill never forget thay experience and it inspired me to become a private pilot. I now have an instrument rating as well.
My first flight on a 747 was also on Lufthansa; while I was in the cheap seats, it was still magical. I'm happy that Lufthansa is keeping the Queen in the skies.
In 1972 I was stationed in The Army in Key West Florida. I went home for Christmas that year. First we flew a wing over the fuselage plane (we called it the flapping bird as we flew amongst the clouds) to Miami. Then to my surprise we went on a 747 to LA; I then flew up the west coast to home. The even more unique thing about that 747 flight was that there probably were only a dozen people on the plane. My seat was on the left side behind the wing. I still remember to this day the conversation I had with the head stewardess (she was doing paperwork a couple rows back) She showed me how to put the armrests up so I could lay down and nap if I wanted to. I remember asking her why the flight was so empty and she said that when the plane went back to Miami and then New York it would be totally full and then from New York to Miami it would be full also. Never flew on one again in my many times flying about the globe. Truly was a wonderful plane in my opinion.
I’ve only got to fly the 747 once with Korean air when I was a bit younger - but still enough to remember it decently well. Was in economy but the Korean food wasn’t bad. Really long 12 hour flight from London to Seoul
My very first flight ever was aboard a Pan Am 747 from New York to Bombay India. And I’ve been aboard many 747 flights since there were so many of them in service during the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. I’m glad I was fortunate enough to have these experiences.
Great video. My first experience on the 747 was in 1988 on an old PanAm Queen from JFK to Frankfurt. The flight’s final destination was New Delhi and it was packed with summer travelers going to visit family in India. The flight was so packed they had to reboard a section of the plane due to misunderstandings between passengers.
My second and final experience on the 747 was a British Airways flight from Dulles to London in 1993. This flight was smooth and sweet. Once we landed at Heathrow the captain announced in a confident voice that due to the clear weather they had “allowed the computer to land the plane!