Originally Posted by JHZR2
$450M a copy seems like a big cost to retire such a jet early.
Ive always wanted to fly on a 747, but that's tough. This one would have been pretty neat too... I've seen quite a few at JFK and LHR.
Don't forget the money that airports spent to accommodate the A380.
The A380 deserves respect, but it wasn't the game changer the 747 was, and subjectively, it will never match that plane's graceful lines. Watching the A380 in the air, it seems to lumber along, looking much like a flying double-decker bus. I'm sure that it's great onboard, and given the chance, I'd like to find out, but I find it hard to warm up to.
That said, the forces that are pushing the A380 out also affect the 747, and the chances to ride on one as a passenger are decreasing. There were few takers for the 748, so unless you happen to be going to Germany, Korea, or China, the latest will be hard to come by. The rest of the 744s still in service are aged, and may not provide a state-of-the-art experience, and given the duration of the routes they fly, novelty probably takes a back seat to comfort, like one would get on a modern aircraft like a A350/380 or 787. I was skeptical of the promises, but after riding a 787, it really was a better and less stressful experience, even compared to something more recent like a 777.