Boeing’s 747 Jumbo Jet era to close next October, buyer says

Boeing Co. is poised to deliver its final 747 jumbo freighter next October, marking the end of production of a storied hump-nosed jetliner that introduced air travel to the masses.

Freight and leasing company Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc., which bought the rights to the last four 747-8s in January, plans to take delivery of the hulking cargo haulers between May and October of next year, Chief Executive Officer John Dietrich said during an earnings call Wednesday.

“These are the last 747s that Boeing will ever produce, and we’re delighted they’ll be coming to Atlas,” Dietrich said. Boeing didn’t immediately have a comment on the announcement by Atlas, which is the world’s largest 747 operator. 

While Boeing confirmed it planned to wind down manufacturing of the four-engine freighter in 2022, following a Bloomberg story, the Chicago-based planemaker has provided few details.

The final handovers will conclude more than a half-century of production of the aircraft, nicknamed the “Queen of the Skies” for a curved frame that evokes a cruise ship. The final deliveries raise new questions about the future of their plant in Everett, Washington, which Boeing built to house the 747’s final assembly line.