Aircraft end of life

[MonkeyBusiness]

What happens to an aircraft when its reached the end of its life and what decides this?

Does for example, a 737 get to 20 years old and due to the flights hours have to be retired?
Then is it cut up and any useable parts reused/cycled?

There must be hundreds of planes retired each year.

Also I wish I had room for something like this - http://www.airplanehome.com/ - I live on the end of Leeds/Bradford airport. Might put a cheeky bid into Jet2 for one of their aging fleet. Make a nice den for the kids.

Edited by MonkeyBusiness on Friday 17th February 19:00

[MonkeyBusiness]

Nickyboy said:

Some end up HERE to be used for parts and then recycled. I shall be visiting here in October.

After I posted my question I went off to find the answers and came across the company that owns that facility.

I find it strange that (like a car I suppose) in the final years of a planes life, it will be passed around freight companies before the final flight to the scappers.

For something that surely needs to be immaculately maintained, who gives the final 'you ain't flying no more' speech? I imagine there are a few planes that really shouldn't be in the air.