more at
https://www.businessinsider.com/planes-airlines-fly-to-replace-boeing-747-jumbo-jet-2018-8
Boeing admits that the future of the 747 is as a cargo plane.
to retire their jumbo jet fleets.
The jumbo jet's days as a passenger plane are numbered. The Boeing 747, once the
go-to passenger jet for airlines around the world, is destined to live out its
days as a cargo jet.
"The future of the 747 is in the cargo business," Boeing vice president of
marketing Randy Tinseth told Business Insider at the 2018 Farnborough
International Airshow.
According to Boeing, of 42,730 passenger jets customers are expected to order
over the next 20 years, only 60 will be aircraft similar in size to the jumbo
jet. That works out to three Boeing 747-8s or Airbus A380s a year.
And even then, they are mostly expected to be VIP transports, Tinseth said.
Through July, Boeing has just 22 unfilled orders for the 747 and all of them are
for the cargo variant.
Over the past decade, Boeing did manage to sell 47 747-8 Intercontinental
passenger jets that are currently in service with Air China, Korean Air, and
Lufthansa.
Korean Air and Lufthansa operate both the Boeing 747 and the rival A380
Superjumbo.
According to Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr, the decision operate the 747
instead of smaller aircraft has to do with the amount of room the plane affords
its premium cabin.
"No airline in the world sells as many premium seats as Lufthansa," Spohr told
us in a recent interview. "When we talk about an XL aircraft, we need 100 first
and business class seats which nobody else has."
"That's why we operate the 747-8 on routes where others operate the (Boeing)
777," Spohr added.
Smaller and more affordable twin-jets like the Boeing 777 have taken over as the
industry's passenger-carrying workhorses. Their ability to deliver great range
and performance at a fraction of the 747's operating cost make them virtually
unbeatable.
The Boeing 747-8I lists for $402.9 million while the 747-8F is a few hundred
grand more at $403.6 million.
Sadly, this means the writing is on the wall. The Queen of the Skies will likely
go out with a whimper rather than a bang. Here's a closer look at the planes
airlines are using to replace the Boeing 747 jumbo jet:
1. Boeing 777: The Boeing 777-200's debut in 1995 marked the beginning of the
end of the jumbo jet.
2. Boeing 787 Dreamliner: The Dreamliner represents a new generation of carbon
composite airliners. With room for as many as 330 passengers, the Dreamliner is
much smaller than the 747. However, its superior fuel economy allows airlines to
offer greater flight frequencies.
3. Airbus A350XWB: Like the Boeing Dreamliner, the A350 is also among the new
generation of fuel-efficient composite airliners. Unlike the 787, the A350 is
similar in size to the larger Boeing 777.
4. Airbus A380: The Airbus A380 is, itself, in peril of being replaced. The
Superjumbo has struggled to find new buyers in recent years. However, during its
early days, the A380 served as a modern replacement for aging 747-400.
5. Boeing 777X: The 777X is Boeing's next-generation flagship jet. It is, in
fact, designed to be the 747's direct successor atop the company's product
lineup.
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