After the pandemic grounded the tourism industry, British Airways faced a tough decision: retire its Boeing 747 fleet.
Even though airlines announcing huge changes became commonplace, the outcome was much less expected; it turned the scenic Cotswolds, known for its idyllic countryside and charming villages, into an unusual aeroplane graveyard.
These iconic crafts now rest amid rolling hills in Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, a striking contrast to the region’s natural beauty, as shown by a video on X.
However, not all crafts came here to rust; one craft that’s an icon for aviation enthusiasts named Negus, has been turned into a one-of-a-kind events space.
It’s one of three crafts that BA had re-painted in heritage colours to celebrate the identity of BA in honour of 100 years of service, just a year before announcing it would retire the fleet of 31.
Negus arrived at Cotswold Airport in October 2020, and the transformation included re-wiring so it would work on mains power, and installing an audiovisual (AV) system for events.
Cotswold Airport said: “Work began upon her arrival at Cotswold Airport to transform the Economy cabin (World Traveler) into an exclusive events space, complete with Chauvet and L’acoustic products.
“The transformation process was a long journey, but the hard work paid off. We now have a spectacular, versatile venue where we are able to host a wide variety of events ranging from weddings to corporate events.”
BA announced its retirement back in 2020: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm that 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.”
Aviation consultant John Strickland told PA news agency that the lack of demand for transatlantic travel simply sped up the fleet’s retirement. Industry forecasts indicated passenger demand may not return to pre-pandemic levels until between 2023 and 2025, by which time the 747s were due to be retired anyway.
He said: “The US market doesn’t really exist at the moment. That’s where BA substantially deploys its 747 fleet.
“Without the US peak summer programme operating and with winter being leaner, it was already looking like this fleet was going to be on the ground for quite some time.”
British Airways’ 747-400s have a capacity of 345 passengers and can reach a top speed of 614mph.
