KLM’s final Boeing 747 departed Amsterdam on March 15, 2021, ending more than five decades of jumbo jet operations for the Dutch flag carrier.

 

KLM’s final Boeing 747 departed Amsterdam on March 15, 2021, ending more than five decades of jumbo jet operations for the Dutch flag carrier.

The aircraft, a 747-400M registered PH-BFV, lifted off from Schiphol in the morning and flew to long-term storage in Teruel, Spain. It was the last 747 still wearing KLM’s blue livery, and its departure marked the end of an era for the airline.

KLM had already removed the 747 from passenger service in early 2020 as the pandemic collapsed demand. A small number returned briefly as cargo aircraft before all 747 operations ended later that year.

PH-BFV did not disappear quietly. The jet was later sold, converted for cargo use, and continued flying for another year before returning to storage. Remarkably, it retained much of its KLM paint, making it instantly recognizable wherever it went.

Although the 747 is gone from KLM’s passenger fleet, it remains active in cargo service worldwide, proving that the Queen of the Skies still has work left to do long after leaving Amsterdam.

FlightDrama