EVA to retire Boeing 747s in August

Old long-haul jets being replaced by more fuel-efficient models

EVA Air’s last Boeing 747 aircraft will be retired in August.

The 372-seat, three-class aircraft is the largest passenger jet in EVA’s fleet, but these aging jets are gradually being replaced by newer, more fuel-efficient models.

EVA’s last remaining 747 will take off for the final time on 21 August 2017, on the route between Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and Hong Kong, marking a major milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal process. These four-engined aircraft have been gradually removed from service in recent months and years, and replaced by EVA’s expanding fleet of twin-engined 777-300ERs and Airbus A330-300s.

The airline also has outstanding orders for 24 787 Dreamliner aircraft, including 20 787-10s – the largest version of the new fuel-efficient jet.
Several other Asian airlines have retired their 747s in recent years, including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines. Boeing has produced a new, more fuel-efficient version of the 747, but it has not proven popular with passenger airlines.