Why A380 and 747 are being retired?


Why A380 and 747 are being retired? Why are airlines starting to retire A380s and 747s from their fleet? Because they are simply not economically viable for airlines in the modern era of aviation. They require a lot of expensive fuel, even the updated 747–8, which makes airlines always seeking aircrafts that use less fuel for similar range.


What happens to retired 747 planes?

Most of them end up in what's called boneyards. It's like a giant car park in the middle of woop woop where they are all lined up and stored, waiting either to be sold or broken up for parts. Boneyards such as Victorville in California has five hundred spots for old planes.


Has any A380 crashed?

Since its introduction, the A380 has established a strong safety record and is regarded as one of the safest aircraft in the world. The aircraft has been involved in only two significant incidents since its introduction – a 2011 crash in France and a 2016 tyre burst incident in Australia.


Will 747 fly again?

The final one, delivered to cargo operator Atlas Air in early 2023, marked the end of the 747's production history, though the variant still has a future in the spotlight: two 747-8s are currently being transformed into the next Air Force One planes.


What happens to retired A380s?

The remaining nine aircraft were due to be phased out slowly, but when the pandemic hit, the airline took the plunge and retired the remaining nine almost immediately. Eight of the aircraft were placed into storage where, according to planespotters.net, they remain to this day.


Does anyone fly A380 anymore?

As of December 2021, the global A380 fleet had completed more than 800,000 flights over 7.3 million block hours with no fatalities and no hull losses. As of December 2022, there were 237 aircraft in service with 16 operators worldwide.


Has a 747 ever crashed?

Lufthansa Flight 540 was the first fatal crash of a 747. On November 20, 1974, it stalled and crashed moments after taking off from Nairobi, with 59 deaths and 98 survivors.


Why is A380 being retired?

For some airlines, the A380 offered too much capacity, while for Emirates, the airline can't get enough of the plane. Unfortunately for Emirates (and us passengers), the days of the Airbus A380 are numbered. Airbus stopped A380 production in 2021, as there weren't sufficient orders to keep production going.


Who bought the last 747?

In a ceremony that was broadcast live online, the aircraft was handed over to its new owner, US air cargo operator Atlas Air, at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington.


What plane will replace the A380?

End of production In February 2019, Airbus announced it would end A380 production by 2021, after its main customer, Emirates, agreed to drop an order for 39 of the aircraft, replacing it with 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s.


How many A380 are still flying?

A total of 251 Airbus A380s were built and delivered for civil aviation. How many A380s are still flying? As of May 2023, about 130 A380s are in service - but several airlines plan to reactivate more aircraft during the year.


Will A380 be revived?

In 2020 at the pandemic's onset, Etihad also announced that their 10-strong A380 fleet would be permanently grounded. However, in late 2022 the airline announced its return. The aircraft will be deployed on service from Abu Dhabi to London exclusively as well. These flights will resume over the coming summer season.


What will replace the 747 and A380?

With the Boeing 747 program coming to an end, the 777X will become Boeing's flagship big plane. Over at Airbus, production of the A380 has also ended. However, the A380 is a newer plane than the 747, and still has a fair bit more flying to do.