Speaking to investors on Wednesday, Boeing has confirmed reports that it will pull production of the iconic 747 jumbo jet after 2022.
Boeing had initially declined to respond to a report published by Bloomberg nearly a fortnight ago, which said that the last 747-8 is expected to be completed in about two years.
“At a build rate of 0.5 airplanes per month, the 747-8 program has more than two years of production ahead of it in order to fulfil our current customer commitments,” a Boeing spokesman told Reuters at the time.
“We will continue to make the right decisions to keep the production line healthy and meet customer needs.”
With the model having fallen behind modern twin-engine passenger jets in recent years, the alarming drop in demand for aircraft across 2020 has acted as a catalyst for the model’s retirement.
Major airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa and Qantas have all moved ahead with plans to retire the “Queen of Skies” early.
Several weeks ago, Qantas began a farewell campaign to send the last 747 off in style, carving out the shape of a kangaroo in the skies over Sydney.
