British Airways Boeing 747 in Special BOAC Livery Enters Service

British Airways’ Boeing 747, reg: G-BYGC, landed at London Heathrow on Monday, painted in the iconic design of BA’s predecessor, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

The aircraft entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport on 5 February 2019 where it was stripped of its British Airways Chatham Dockyard design before being repainted with the BOAC livery which adorned the BOAC fleet between 1964 and 1974.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said, “The enormous interest we’ve had in this project demonstrates the attachment many people have to British Airways’ history. It’s something we are incredibly proud of, so in our centenary year it’s a pleasure to be celebrating our past while also looking to the future. We look forward to many more exciting moments like this as our other aircraft with heritage designs enter service.”

From the paint bay at Dublin Airport, the BOAC Boeing 747 flew directly to Heathrow on the aptly named BA100 touching down on Monday morning. Its next flight will be today, when it departs Heathrow at 08:25 for New York JFK operating as flight BA117. This flight is particularly significant as it was the first route the B747 flew in BOAC colours.

After that flight, the aircraft will continue to fly British Airways’ 747-operated routes proudly showcasing the design as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations. The aircraft can be tracked using Flight Radar, which will feature a special image of the livery.

The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747 until it retires in 2023. By that time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years, as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.

British Airways has three more special Boeing 747 liveries planned.

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