Boeing 747

Also known as Jumbo Jet, Queen of the Skies

Cause of death

Killed by a successor

with killed by cost as a contributing factor

Made by

Boeing

Twin-engine widebodies flew the same routes on half the engines, leaving no market for a new four-engine airliner.

The 747 entered service with Pan Am in January 1970 and made long-haul flying affordable for people who were not diplomats. Then Boeing and Airbus spent fifteen years building widebodies that did the same work with two engines instead of four, and the passenger orders stopped. Freight kept the line open until 31 January 2023, when the 1,574th and last one went to Atlas Air. The Queen of the Skies left through the cargo door.