Asiana Airlines has retired its last passenger Boeing 747-400 from service, after more than 30 years of operations.
On 25 March, the aircraft (HL7428) operated its last flight, a 2h 9min sortie from Taipei’s Taoyuan airport to Seoul Incheon as flight OZ711.
Before it departed Taipei and upon arrival in Seoul, the aircraft was given a water cannon salute, says Asiana, which first disclosed the retirement on 29 February.
The aircraft was delivered to Asiana in June 1999 and began operating Seoul-New York flights. According to Asiana, the aircraft has logged close to 97,000 flight hours.
It is powered by four GE Aerospace CF6 turbofans, and is configured to seat 398 passengers in three classes.
The 747 was parked in Seoul during the thick of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, but briefly returned to service in the second half of 2020.
Historically, Asiana operated a small number of passenger 747-400s, alongside -400M combi aircraft. Asiana would later convert the latter to freighters to boost its cargo operations.
Some operators – including Air India, Qantas and Thai Airways International – retired the type at the height of the pandemic, when passenger travel demand plummeted amid border closures.
Asiana compatriot Korean Air still operates 747-8s.
