Air India's Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies' takes off for final flight in Mumbai

For nearly five decades, the Boeing 747 faithfully served Air India, operating commercial, VVIP, and evacuation flights.

After dominating the skies for years, Air India's iconic jumbo jet Boeing 747, also known as the "Queen of the Skies" bid its farewell to the sky on April 22. The aircraft made its last take-off from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 10:47 AM, marking the end of an era.

During its final flight, the pilot performed a Wing Wave, a customary gesture in the sky when an aircraft reaches retirement age. At one point, the aircraft served as the backbone of the carrier's flying operations and was instrumental in long-haul overseas flight operations.

The airline took to microblogging site X, sharing an emotional farewell note, "Today, we wave goodbye to the first of our last 'Queen of the Skies', the B747, departing Mumbai. Thank you for an era of majestic flights. We'll miss your iconic presence".

Today, we wave goodbye to the first of our last 'Queen of the Skies', the B747, departing Mumbai.

Thank you for an era of majestic flights. We’ll miss your iconic presence. Credits - @CSMIA_Official#AirIndia#b747#QueenOfTheSkiespic.twitter.com/W3M15eo5Nx — Air India (@airindia) April 22, 2024

For nearly five decades, the Boeing 747 faithfully served Air India, operating commercial, VVIP, and evacuation flights. The airline's staff gathered at the airport to bid farewell to this symbol of aviation excellence.

The airline is reportedly now left with four Boeing 747-400 airplanes, which have already found new owners in the US. AerSale, a global supplier of aftermarket commercial jet engines and related parts, has acquired them.