Goodbye, Boeing 747? The UK's Last Passenger Jumbo Service Ends This Week

On October 31, the UK will say goodbye to its last scheduled passenger Boeing 747 operation. Korean Air uses the 747-8i from Seoul Incheon to London Heathrow. Cirium Diio data shows that passenger 747s had just 49 UK services in 2025. Of course, the country still has multiple freighter services.

As of October 29, the latest information is that the jumbo will not return to the UK later in 2025 or next summer. However, this may certainly change. After all, the SkyTeam member is used to regularly altering its plans. The ongoing merger with Asiana may affect it. I’ll keep an eye on what is scheduled.

The UK’s Last Passenger 747 Service (For Now) Ends On October 31

Analysis of schedule data shows that Korean Air deployed the 747-400 to Heathrow until early 2013, with the 747-8i first being used to the UK’s busiest airport in 2017. While it varied, the 747-8i coexisted with the 777-300ER and A380 until 2019. After a five-year hiatus, the 747-8i returned in 2024.

In 2025, the 368-seat 747-8i reappeared on July 25. The frequency varied massively, but was mainly three times weekly. When it wasn’t deployed, the 291-seat 777-300ER was used instead. The jumbo did not operate continuously. For example, it did not operate to Heathrow between September 30 and October 12.

Jumbo service was always scheduled to end on October 31. Still, it is part of a broader range of changes elsewhere. For example, in Europe, Korean Air’s A380s have returned to Frankfurt after a long absence. In the US, the South Korean carrier has doubled Atlanta flights; the 777-300ER will run twice a day next summer.

How 747 Flights Have Changed: 2004-2025

Everyone knows that the enormous ongoing technological evolution means the focus nowadays is on long-range and highly efficient twinjets. As such, the figure above states the obvious. Scheduled 747 flights from the UK would inevitably be dramatically lower than they once were. They halved between 2004 and 2014. The pandemic-driven retirement of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic’s frames meant they virtually disappeared completely, with no flights in 2021-2023. Korean Air’s jumbos returned in 2024.

According to Cirium data, the Queen of the Skies had 29,300 departures from the UK in 2004. Daily flights varied from 69 to 90. They operated from Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester. In subsequent years, Glasgow and Belfast International had such flights by Virgin Atlantic.

In 2004, the 747’s multiple variants accounted for three in ten of the UK’s widebody services. It was the most commonly seen twin-aisle equipment on the country’s shores. At that time, the UK had one in six of the world’s passenger 747 services. With up to nine daily takeoffs, London Heathrow to New York JFK was among the top markets globally for the 747.

All Of These Airlines Used The 747 In 2004

Twenty-one years ago, in 2004, over 20 passenger carriers used the type to UK airports. They were Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, All Nippon, Asiana, BA, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, EgyptAir (very briefly), El Al, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Pakistan International, Phuket Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, South African, SyrianAir, Thai Airways, United, and Virgin.

The photo above is of a SyrianAir 747SP, which was taken in 2004. In the same year, IranAir also frequently deployed the variant to Heathrow, along with the 747-200. I saw both carriers’ 747s regularly. Neither airline flies to the UK now. The photo is of YK-AHB, which ch-aviation shows is now 49.3 years old. It has been stored in Riyadh since 2011.