British Airways is to retire its Boeing 747 fleet as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The airline had planned to retire the fleet in 2024 but accelerated the decision due to the downturn in travel. It currently operates 31 of the aircraft.
BA said: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect.
“It is unlikely our magnificent ‘queen of the skies’ will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic.
“While the aircraft will always have a special place in our heart, as we head into the future we will be operating more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as our new A350s and 787s, to help us achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”