BA to bid farewell to 'Queen of the Skies' with rare dual take off

BA will bid farewell to its final London-based Boeing 747s on Thursday with a rare synchronised dual take off for the "Queen of the Skies", the jet which brought long-haul flights to the masses. Once the world's largest operator of the 747, BA has now retired its entire jumbo jet fleet after the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed most air travel, accelerating the move to more fuel-efficient planes. "Tomorrow will be a difficult day for everybody at British Airways as the aircraft leaves our home at Heathrow for the very last time," CE Alex Cruz said. For over 50 years, the 747 has been the world's most easily recognised jetliner with its humped fuselage, four engines and 16 main wheels. It took its maiden flight in 1969 and soon secured its place in history as the jet which allowed more affordable air travel due its size and range. BA's predecessor airline BOAC first introduced the 747 on the London-New York route in 1971, and at its peak BA had a fleet of 57 747-400s.<br/>