Flying on a Boeing 747

Author
Discussion

MJK 24

Original Poster:

5,648 posts

235 months

Friday 14th February 2020
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I’d like to fly on a Boeing 747, having not flown on one before.

Are their any routes from the U.K. where it would be as close to a dead cert as possible that I’d travel on one or are those days already behind us? I don’t want to look back with regret in the future.

I’d like to do similar with the Airbus A380 I feel I’ve somewhat more time to tick that box!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

philwhite

256 posts

180 months

Friday 14th February 2020
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BA have the worlds largest passenger fleet so are probably the best bet, although a lot of the routes alternate with other equipment so never a guarantee. I fly to Chicago a fair bit with BA and the 747 has been the most common plane, but sometimes it’s been a 777 (which is woeful in economy).

Virgins 747’s are great as they have an economy section in the bubble, which is a worthwhile experience - They may be the only operator to offer this. I think the final few left are all allocated to Orlando now, but others may be able to confirm. I came back from Orlando on the Millennium Falcon themed one just this January. They leave the fleet in about 12 months so you’ll need to be quick!

Edited by philwhite on Friday 14th February 23:35

djc206

12,244 posts

124 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Cape Town from Heathrow is always a 747 with BA and a nice place to visit too. Certain BA to NYC flight numbers are still 747’s, BA113 and BA183 certainly are at the moment.

All Emirates flights from Heathrow and Gatwick are on A380’s.

smack

9,727 posts

190 months

Friday 14th February 2020
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BA out of LHR - they have 32 left in their fleet, but 7 are scheduled to be retired this year. They used mostly to the US, JFK is destination where they fly a few there every day, else you have to check the schedule for specific routes, but as a guide they will be sent to the larger US cities/destinations, so Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Houston, Las Vegas. Miami, Boston they will still be used.

Otherwise, Africa, Cape Town they are used for 2 flights a day (can't handle A380's), Johannesburg has a 747 outside the Dec-Feb peak season when it is a double A380, and they are still used to West Central Africa, to Accra and Nigeria.

I advise to get flights to a Business heavy destination, as the refurbed aircraft are used on those routes, rather than the tatty aircraft with 20 year old In Flight Entertainment.

AS62

419 posts

171 months

Friday 14th February 2020
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Denver is also mostly a 747 route, a mix of refurbed and non-refurbed aircraft.

smack

9,727 posts

190 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Forgot, BA still use them to Dubai, as I was only on one 2 weeks ago. They were still using them on the Saudi and Kuwait routes until recently (not exactly somewhere high on the list for a non work visit), but all the other Middle East destinations look like they are 777 or 787's now.

patchb

946 posts

113 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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philwhite said:
Virgins 747’s are great as they have an economy section in the bubble, which is a worthwhile experience - They may be the only operator to offer this. I think the final few left are all allocated to Orlando now, but others may be able to confirm. I came back from Orlando on the Millennium Falcon themed one just this January. They leave the fleet in about 12 months so you’ll need to be quick!

Edited by philwhite on Friday 14th February 23:35
Not sure if it’s changed now but I flew on a Virgin 747 to Barbados in November for work so not sure they’re all allocated to one route.

GT03ROB

13,207 posts

220 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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if you are going to do it just to fly a 747, get an upper deck seat. It's where the difference really is. Closest thing to a private jet you'll find. Anywhere else is like any other plane other than if you are right at the front downstairs.

blueg33

35,576 posts

223 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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A few years ago I visited Lisbon on hols. Flew out on a 737 but the flight back to LHR was a 747. It was returning after delivering many football supporters to a match in Lisbon.

There were about 100 of us on it. It felt completely empty, we got to wander around and sit anywhere

Definitely get the upper deck if you can

TomJackUK

356 posts

171 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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Air China tend to operate on internal flights in China. Beijing-Shanghai-Shenzhen for sure. 🤪

hammo19

4,898 posts

195 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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We fly Virgin 747 upper level premium economy every year to Orlando. You can sit just behind the cockpit and we have been lucky enough to have visited the cockpit before take off. There are economy seats too and they are fine. You get the same level of attention from the superb crew.

When you book seats you are guaranteed to know it’s a 747.


ThunderSpook

3,571 posts

210 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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BA Heathrow to Miami, 4 flights a day, 3 of them are 747 and the other is an A380.

I quite fancied flying in an A380, so both of our flights there and back were 747’s.

Mabbs9

1,072 posts

217 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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Some v good route info above. Take care booking over the summer/winter boundary (when the clocks change). It's a common time for routes to change between aircraft types.

Enjoy!

djc206

12,244 posts

124 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
if you are going to do it just to fly a 747, get an upper deck seat. It's where the difference really is. Closest thing to a private jet you'll find. Anywhere else is like any other plane other than if you are right at the front downstairs.
This is good advice. Even though most 747’s are a little tired if for example you fly with BA there are only 20 seats upstairs and the aisle is really wide so it feels spacious. The best sleep I’ve ever had on any aircraft was a BA 747 to Cape Town. I’ve a real soft spot for them even though there are ‘better’ aircraft out there.

I don’t have any flights booked on one this year, yet. That needs to change.

Simpo Two

85,148 posts

264 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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philwhite said:
Virgins 747’s are great as they have an economy section in the bubble...
What, peasants upstairs? That's where First/Business Class should be!

GOATever

2,651 posts

66 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
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As long as you ‘turn left’ when boarding, they’re fantastic aircraft to fly long distance on.

GOATever

2,651 posts

66 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
What, peasants upstairs? That's where First/Business Class should be!
First is in the nose, downstairs, business is just behind them normally. Which technically means you could arrive before the flight crew, if you were right at the front of first. Maybe that’s why it’s called ‘first’ class scratchchin

GT03ROB

13,207 posts

220 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
quotequote all
GOATever said:
As long as you ‘turn left’ when boarding, they’re fantastic aircraft to fly long distance on.
Actually I'd disagree based on the BA config. As long as you go upstairs when boarding they are great. The 1st cabins actually feel more cramped than than 1st on other planes & even business upstairs. Service upstairs in invariably excellent based on having 2 crew up there. The galley made a nice impromptu bar too!

smack

9,727 posts

190 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
quotequote all
ThunderSpook said:
BA Heathrow to Miami, 4 flights a day, 3 of them are 747 and the other is an A380.

I quite fancied flying in an A380, so both of our flights there and back were 747’s.
BA currently run 2 flights a day, not 4. AA are running 2 flights during winter, which are BA Codeshares.

BA change there schedule due to demand, and although the A380 in the past was one of the daily flights, currently and looking at the schedule only April 2020 they plan to use an A380 on the later rotation.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/...

LAX is another route the 747's still run - there is 3 daily flights (they fly 744, 777-300ER, 787-9 and A380's on that route depending on demand/schedule) , and the early rotation is has been a 747 since they started using the A380's on that route, because a 380 full of passengers doesn't have much cargo space left once full up with luggage, and the other 3 aircraft types have the available space and payload to haul extra cargo - BA (and the parent companies subsidiary IAG Cargo) are a big cargo operator, although they no longer have any cargo aircraft, which is key to their business model, and a big factor when they are deciding on the routes they fly.

GOATever

2,651 posts

66 months

Saturday 15th February 2020
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
Actually I'd disagree based on the BA config. As long as you go upstairs when boarding they are great. The 1st cabins actually feel more cramped than than 1st on other planes & even business upstairs. Service upstairs in invariably excellent based on having 2 crew up there. The galley made a nice impromptu bar too!
That’s true enough for BA. save some cash and go business, get a better experience too. Other carriers can be different.