The End of an Era: KLM Says Farewell to Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet

After nearly fifty years, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is retiring the Boeing 747 Jumbo  passenger Jet.

KLM’s final 747 Flight KL686 Boeing 747-406(M) PH-BFT nicknamed ‘City of Tokyo’, departed from Mexico City to Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Sunday 29 March 2020.

The 23 year old aircraft arrived Schiphol at around 15:00 local time broadcast live via the website of Dutch public broadcasting station NH Nieuws.

KLM have operated the iconic Boeing 747 for passenger flights for almost fifty years. In January 1971, the Dutch airline took delivery of its very first Jumbo Jet, Boeing 747-200 PH-BUA ‘Mississippi’. Like many other airlines, KLM also had to construct a new aircraft maintenance hangar, big enough to support the Boeing 747.

The Dutch airline has operated the Jumbo Jet on passenger services to many of its international destinations including New York City, Los Angeles, Sint-Maarten and Tokyo.

KLM had planned to completely phase out the Boeing 747 by May 2021. Unfortunately, due to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak and the resulting dramatic decline in demand for air travel, the Dutch airline was forced to move forward the final passenger flight of its Boeing 747 fleet.

Even though KLM still has three Boeing 747-ERF full freighter aircraft in the fleet and all of these three appear to be still operating cargo flights, this definitely marks the end of an era for Dutch aviation.

So long, Dutch Queen of the Skies. You will be missed…