KLM Announces 747 Combi Retirement Date

Sadly it has been announced that there’s just one year left for another fleet of Boeing 747s, with KLM setting a January 2021 retirement date for its 747-400 Combi aircraft.

These relatively rare types feature a mixed passenger-cargo layout on the main deck and can be easily identified from the large cargo door on the side of the aircraft.

At present KLM has four of these aircraft still in service (plus four full passenger variants and three all-cargo versions).

The Combi aircraft will be retired on 3 January 2021 with the final destination being New York JFK.

KLM expects the remaining all-passenger 747-400s to carry on in service beyond this date, but has not set a retirement date yet. You can still fly them from Amsterdam Schiphol to destinations such as Chicago O’Hare, Toronto, Mexico City, San Francisco and Seoul Incheon.

KLM first flew a Boeing 747 in 1971, so next year will mark 50 years of operating the Jumbo. They are now being replaced by more modern types such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Find out where you can still fly the Boeing 747 on our routes list page here: https://www.airportspotting.com/boeing-747-routes-list/