Air India on Monday (April 22) morning bid farewell to one of its last ‘Queen of the Skies’, the iconic Boeing 747 aircraft. This aircraft served the TATA owned airline for nearly five decades, operating commercial, VVIP, and evacuation flights. The airline, which began operations in 1932, witnessed the departure of one of its most iconic aircraft.
A ‘wing wave’ maneuver marked the end of an era for Air India
What is a ‘wing wave’?
The ‘wing wave’ is a dip of the aircraft from one side to the other in the air, usually performed for retiring aircraft. The Boeing 747 has been involved in numerous important flights for Air India, including two medical evacuation flights to Wuhan, China, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Air India Boeing 747’s wing wave video
In a heartwarming gesture, Air India also shared a video clip of the Boeing 747 taking off from the Mumbai airport and performing the ‘wing wave’, expressing that they will miss the aircraft’s iconic presence.
The flight became one of the most tracked flights on the flightradar24 website. Mumbai airport operator shared the video clip, stating that Air India’s Boeing 747 took its final flight from the airport, leaving onlookers awestruck.
Air India’s association with Boeing 747 aircrafts
The Boeing 747, named Agra, which departed from Mumbai airport on Monday, was inducted into Air India in October 1996. Air India acquired its first Boeing 747 in 1971, and the iconic aircraft completed its last commercial flight in March 2021 on a domestic route.
Recently, Air India sold its remaining four Boeing 747s. These aircraft, known as the ‘Queen of the Skies’, have transported Indian presidents, vice presidents, and prime ministers for decades before being replaced by Boeing 777s.
Boeing closed Queen of the Skies’ production
In July 2020, Boeing announced the end of production of the ‘Queen of the Skies’ due to market
Air India, which had been incurring losses, was taken over by the Tata Group in January 2022.
