Final boarding call nears for Boeing's ageing 747s as orders dwindle away

The demise of the jumbo jet has come a little closer after Boeing announced it would scale back production of its famous 747 to just 1 plane every 2 months, with orders having all but disappeared. The distinctive 4-engine plane has fallen from favour since more efficient twin-engined models were developed that could operate on long-haul routes – particularly lucrative transatlantic flights – on a fraction of the fuel. Boeing had prolonged the life of the 45-year-old design with its latest, more fuel-efficient iteration, the 747-8, whose freight version looked to have particular potential with early sales. But the manufacturer said a stalling air cargo market was killing off demand for the plane. Ray Conner, CE of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said: "The air cargo market recovery that began in late 2013 has stalled in recent months and slowed demand for the 747-8 freighter." <br/>