The case of the vanishing Delta Boeing 747 fleet….

Delta Air Lines Boeing 747 operations are getting decidedly thinner in 2016, with only three routes due to operate during the summer.

Delta Boeing 747-400 at Detroit Wayne County Airport – Image, RenesPoints (source – http://renespoints.boardingarea.com/2013/11/17/are-the-days-of-flying-delta-747s-numbered/)

The Boeing 747-400s will be confined to operating between the USA and due to operate during the summer season according to AirlineRoute:

• Detroit – Seoul Incheon  (Daily service)
• Detroit – Shanghai Pu Dong (Daily service)
• Detroit – Tokyo Narita – Manila (Daily service)
• Honolulu – Tokyo Narita (Daily service with exceptions – check when booking).
• Seattle – Tokyo Narita (Daily service between 1st August 2016 and 31st August 2016)

Although with Deltas love of old aircraft, its surprising they haven’t pulled a few more out of retirement to operate more routes.

Maybe some planes are too expensive to operate… even for Delta.

Delta currently operate a fleet of nine Boeing 747-400 aircraft according to Airfleets, delivered between 1988 and 1999

Whilst some love the Boeing 747-400 (mostly about the upper deck, but sometimes about the lower deck), I’m not that much of a fan of them – normally because I’m stuck in the lower deck and crammed in tightly (United Airlines are a classic example of this, whilst British Airways Boeing 747-400s do feel a bit… careworn).

None the less, for those of you who have a love of Delta 747-400s, you’d better hurry as the fleet is due for retirement in 2017.

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