Boeing 747, Which Has Circled the Earth 2,500 Times, Retires

Asiana Airlines announced that its Boeing 747 passenger aircraft will retire after its final flight on the 25th. Known as the "Queen of the Skies" and "Jumbo," this aircraft led the popularization of air travel and marks the last domestic flight of its kind.

The airline first introduced this aircraft in 1999, operating the Gimpo~New York route. The final mission is scheduled for the afternoon, departing from Taipei Airport in Taiwan and arriving at Incheon Airport. Fire trucks at each airport will perform a water cannon salute to mark the aircraft's arrival.

To date, it has flown 18,193 flights and logged 96,986 hours of flight time. The distance covered is approximately 88 million kilometers, equivalent to circling the Earth about 2,500 times. As the last Boeing 747-4000 passenger aircraft remaining in South Korea, it has carried out the most Code One presidential flight missions for Asiana Airlines.

With 34 business class seats and 364 economy seats, many aviation enthusiasts booked the final flight to commemorate the occasion. The airline gave souvenirs to all passengers. Asiana Airlines stated, "We will continue to introduce the latest models such as the A350 and A321neo, representing the next generation, to enhance customer convenience."