China Airlines’ final 747–400, the B744 is nearing retirement after 45 years of flying the aircraft. The airline says that the retirement of the Boeing 747 will “complete the transition to the Airbus A350”. They took delivery of its first Boeing 747–400 in 1975 and owned 19 of the type in total over the years. Boeing 777–300ER and Airbus A350–900 aircraft have taken over the airline’s long-haul services. The remaining four 747–400 jets mainly serve Okinawa, Japan, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, China. They are expected to retire in the first quarter of the year. The final 747, ironically, B-18215, is the last passenger 747–400 to be delivered to any airline, so this also bows the type out to the whole of the industry, unfortunately.
China Airlines is expected to give the aircraft one final send-off with a particular flight to nowhere for anyone who is willing to pay. I certainly would. They will cooperate with Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture as the scenic flight CI2747 — with registration B-18215 — could fly to Mount Fuji, Japan, for aerial viewing on Feb. 6. The farewell flight is expected to bring 350 passengers to the skies, and the whole journey will take approximately five hours and forty minutes. The airfare of CI2747 will be TWD7470 ($265) for the economy class and TWD9747 ($347) on the first floor, and TWD10747 ($383) on the second floor for business class. CI2747 features Japanese cuisine, and the passengers will be given souvenirs, such as a 747–400 model and flying certificate. Even though the airlines’ 747–400 passenger fleet is being retired, they will still operate a fleet of 18 vital cargo 747’s. The cargo side of the airline became their primary source of income during the Pandemic.
-Luke O’C — Staff Writer.
©️The Touchdown Zone 2021