Aviation

Retirement of Boeing 747 from Delta’s fleet marks end of era

SEOUL – Nearly 400 customers, crew and employees said a formal farewell to Delta’s 747-400 on Sunday morning to commemorate the Queen of the Skies’ retirement from Delta revenue flights.

“The B747-400 has been an integral part of Delta’s entire fleet for the last three decades, especially on trans-Pacific routes,” said Andrew Kim, Delta’s Director – Sales, Korea. “Today’s flight,
Ship 6310, was manufactured in 1990, has flown approximately 64 million miles and is retiring after 27 years of service, in favor of safer, more comfortable, more reliable and more efficient modes of transportation for our passengers.”

“Now Delta has introduced, for its next-generation main aircraft for the trans-Pacific, the newer A350, which is already active on the Incheon-Detroit route on select days. With the retirement of the 747, the route now offers the latest aircraft with premium products and service everyday” Andrew added.

The ceremony honored two distinguished 747-400 captains for their contribution to aviation history and thanked customers for sharing the decades with Delta.

“I started flying for Delta Air Lines in 1976. All of those years have put me in the fortunate position of being the Senior 747 Captain at Delta and given me the incredible honor of flying today’s flight along with this great crew,” said Capt. Brian Hollingsworth. “The 747 is the most iconic aircraft ever built, and an aircraft that every pilot dreams of flying. Actually, I have been married to a former flight attendant for 40 years now, and she will be greeting me when we arrive in Detroit because today is my last trip. I am retiring after 42 years at Delta.”

After thanking his fellow crew members, Hollingsworth welcomed Capt. Rusty Bliss, one of Delta’s most senior captains and a 747 check airman instructor.

Related Topics:delta airline final flight

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.