In Pictures: Final flight – Heathrow waves goodbye to BA’s Boeing 747s

The two double-deckers, also known as a jumbo jet or as the Queen of the Skies, left Heathrow Airport in BA livery for the last time.

Published Oct 8, 2020

Last updated Oct 8, 2020

An era ended for British Airways when two of its Boeing 747 fleet left Heathrow Airport for the last time.

Commonly referred to as jumbo jets, or more respectfully as the Queen of the Skies, the aircraft have been familiar sights over London and the rest of the UK for half a century.

Their departure from the BA fleet has been hastened by the crisis wreaked on the aviation industry by the coronavirus pandemic.

Aircraft G-CIVY, one of the last two British Airways Boeing 747-400 aircraft, takes off on its final departure from Heathrow Airport, London (Steve Parsons/PA)

A Boeing 747 in BOAC livery 7 (British Airways/PA)

A passenger cabin in a Boeing 747 57 (BA/PA) — A passenger cabin in a Boeing 747 57 in 1971 (BA/PA)

A 1971 photo of a Boeing 747 in British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery at London’s Heathrow airport. The airline is now known as BA (PA)

British Airways Boeing 747-400 aircraft, designated G-CIVY performs a fly past over Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The last two British Airways Boeing 747-400 aircraft, designated G-CIVY (front) and G-CIVB prepare for the final flight from Heathrow Airport (Steve Parsons/PA)