More than two dozen airlines were already committed to buying the 747 when was first shown to the public. In 1970, the 747 made its first commercial flight, carrying more than 300 Pan Am passengers to London from New York.
He became an instant public sensation. The four-engine aircraft was much larger than any other and could accommodate hundreds of people in rows up to 10 seats wide. The upper deck, accessible by a spiral staircase, housed a luxurious lounge. American Airlines had a piano bar installed in the main cabin.
Orders started pouring in, bringing Boeing much-needed revenue. Owning a 747 became a status symbol for airlines. Some companies bought the plane even though it didn’t quite suit their needs.
The biggest reason airlines bought the plane was because the 747 helped them cut costs. Because the plane could carry many more passengers in a single trip, airlines could sell cheaper tickets, making air travel affordable for the masses.
Boeing produced various versions of the plane in the 1970s and 1980s for different uses and to improve how much it could carry and how far it could fly. In 1989, the company introduced a major upgrade, the 747-400, which became the best-selling aircraft model. Boeing sold more 747s in the 1990s than in any other decade.
But as popular as the plane had become, the world was beginning to move.
Smaller, more efficient twin-engine aircraft could now fly longer distances. Its smaller size meant that airlines could offer direct international routes between smaller cities, such as St. Louis and Frankfurt.
In the mid 1990s, Boeing also introduced the 777, which was almost as big as the 747. With only two engines, it was more advanced and efficient. A decade later, Boeing’s main rival Airbus introduced the A380, which can carry more passengers than the 747. But Airbus struggled to sell the plane, announcing the end of production in 2019.
