Japan Airline’s last “Classic Jumbo Jet” took to the skies on July 30 on its final flight, ending an era of the Boeing 747 Classic type of aircraft in the company’s fleet. The 747-300, operated by a 3-man flight crew, will fly from Honolulu to Tokyo (Narita) and thereafter retire after 26 years of reliable service to the airline group.
In the mid-1960s, unprecedented development in technology and the availability of large-thrust engines led to the creation of the giant 747, beginning with the 747-100, the first in the 747 Classics series which also includes the -200 and -300 models. JAL first took delivery of a 747-100 in 1970, and was the launch customer of the 747-100SR in 1973. For its ever-expanding international network at the time, JAL owned the largest fleet of 747 Classics in 1984, and from 1987 through to 1989, it held the record number of 65 such aircraft – a figure that still stands as the most number of Classics owned by any one airline at a time.
Decommissioning the Group’s remaining 6 Classics – of which the earliest was delivered in November 1983, attests to the Group’s steady progress towards downsizing its fleet and operating more fuel-efficient aircraft such as Boeing 777.
I for one am not happy to see this. The 777 may be a better aircraft, but its not any roomier IMHO. Furhtermore, in general, the 747 was always easier to upgrade on-it had more business class seats. Plus, unlike its stingy American counterparts, I got courtesy upgrades on JAL-twice out of Hawaii as a matter of fact. To say the service was better than what I would have gotten on an American carrier goes without saying.