Passengers flying on Air New Zealand’s (ANZ) last Boeing 747-400 flight this morning were treated to a champagne breakfast as the jumbo jet travelled back to Auckland from San Francisco.
Affectionately known as “Daddy’s yacht” by pilots, the 16-year-old aircraft was the final 747 to be retired as ANZ looks to modernise its fleet to maintain healthy growth.
ANZ first ordered five Boeing 747-200s in 1980, as it was capable of flying from the carrier’s base in Auckland to Los Angeles non-stop. The older -200 series was eventually replaced with the newer -400 variant that dutifully served the airline’s long-haul services for over three decades.
However, as ANZ introduced more fuel-efficient aircraft into its fleet, the B747 fleet was gradually retired, with the final flight touching down in Auckland Airport earlier today. This particular aircraft, registered as ZK-NBV, boasted a total of 67,552 flight hours and 7284 successful landings.
For more information, visit airnewzealand.co.nz
Clement Huang
