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British Airways, the world’s largest Boeing 747 operator, said Thursday night that it would withdraw its entire fleet of jumbo jets with immediate effect due to the slowdown in the travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Global restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the virus caused turbulence in air travel, casting doubt on the future of many airlines.
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“Our magnificent ‘queen of the skies’ is unlikely to re-operate commercial services for British Airways,” the company said in a statement.
BA, owned by the International Consolidated Airlines Group, added that it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, such as its new A350s and 787s, and expects those aircraft to help achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
A wave of restructuring caused by the virus outbreak is affecting airlines and industrial companies worldwide.
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The Sun reported last month that BA had reached an agreement with its pilots to fire 350 and another 300 in ‘pool’ to rehire them when necessary.
Most of the pilots “grouped” were expected to be the first officers of the jumbo jet, according to the report.
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The Boeing Co 747, an aircraft that democratized world air travel in the 1970s but lagged behind modern twin-engine aircraft, marked its 50th anniversary of flight in February 2019.
The U.S.-based aerospace company and its suppliers signaled the end of the plane, when they established the final number of parts it would need for the 747 jumbo jet program at least a year ago.
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However, the decision was in limbo for years amid falling orders and price pressure.
(Report by Maria Ponnezhath in Bangalore, Sherry Jacob-Phillips Edition)
