The iconic Boeing 747 was retired by most airlines during the pandemic, but it's still used by world governments. See the countries flying the jumbo jet.
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- Egypt bought an 11-year-old Boeing 747-8 from the planemaker and is modifying it for executive use.
- The jumbo jet is practically new, having only flown a handful of flights since being built in 2011.
- Several other countries operate 747 variants as VIP transport aircraft, like Turkey, Oman, and the US.
The beloved Boeing 747 may have lost interest from airlines but it lives on as a popular executive transport aircraft.
The mammoth 747 made its first commercial flight with Pan Am in 1970, launching the era of widebody, long-haul transit. Powered by four engines, the plane could fly across the Atlantic and, for the first time, made travel affordable for people other than just the rich and famous.
Now, after over half a century of production, Boeing's revolutionary 747 program will come to an end this year as the company builds its last-ever jumbo jet. The final plane — a 747-8 freighter — will go to cargo carrier Atlas Air.
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The plane's demise came as airlines started favoring more fuel-efficient twin-engine, widebody planes that could make the trek across the Atlantic, but at lower operating costs, like the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A350.
The COVID-19 pandemic was the nail in the coffin for many 747s as carriers like British Airways, KLM, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic sped up their retirement.
While airlines worldwide are parking their 747s, the jumbo jet still remains popular with country governments. The latest nation to take ownership of the Queen of the Skies is Egypt, which purchased the jet, registered SU-EGY, in 2021, per Simple Flying.
The 747-8 will replace the country's 28-year-old Airbus A340 government plane.
To fly as an executive jet, SU-EGY needs some modifications. According to Simple Flying, the jet was sent to Hamburg for an interior outfit by maintenance, repair, and overhaul services company Lufthansa Technik.
After what appears to be about nine months of cabin work, the 747 then flew from Hamburg to Shannon, Ireland, per FlightAware data, to get a new paint job.
The company doing the work is International Aerospace Coatings (IAC), which has completed projects like United Airlines' Star Wars-themed livery on a 737-800 and Allegiant Air's Las Vegas Golden Knights paint job on an A319.
Like other VIP transport 747s, the plane is expected to have a luxury interior similar to Air Force One in the US or the Qatari government's former 747-8i.
Cabinet Alberto Pinto
Soon, Egypt will join the myriad countries using the Queen of the Skies as a government transport plane, proving the outdated 747 is still a beloved aircraft in modern times.
Here are all of the nations that use the iconic jumbo jet for VIP use.
US
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The US currently operates two Boeing 747-200 aircraft for presidential use but is spending an estimated $5.3 billion to upgrade the fleet to more efficient 747-8s. The original models were first used by President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s.
China
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China does not have a dedicated presidential jet, but instead borrows 747-400 airliners from Air China for ad hoc VIP transport missions. According to the Asia Times, the country is reportedly converting an Air China 747-8 to use exclusively for presidential flights due to repeated mechanical and security issues on the -400s.
South Korea
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The Korean government has outfitted a former Korean Air 747-8i for presidential use, per Aerotime. The plane, dubbed "Code One," replaced the country's converted 747-400 VIP transport jet that was leased from Korean Air.
Kuwait
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Kuwait operates a VIP Boeing 747-8, which has been in service since November 2012, according to Planespotters.
Morocco
Eric Salard
The Moroccan government operates an 11-year-old 747-8, which was donated to the country by the Abu Dhabi government, per The Points Guy.
Oman
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The Royal Flight of Oman is the country's non-military VIP transport fleet. According to Planespotters, the nation has two jets in service, including a 747-400 and a 747-8, and one parked 747SP.
Turkey
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Turkey's VIP 747-8i was gifted from the Qatar royal family in 2018, according to the BBC. The ultra-luxurious $500 million jet can carry 76 passengers and has seven bedrooms and two boardrooms.
Bahrain
John Taggart
The Bahrain government operates a 747-400 for VIP transport, per Planespotters.
Brunei
Björn Strey
Brunei's parked 747-400 presidential plane was unique because it was flown by the Sultan himself, Hassanal Bolkiah, who flew it to meet with President Barack Obama in 2013.
According to The Points Guy, the ultra-wealthy Sultan used some of his own money to purchase the jet from Lufthansa and used to fly it around the world. The interior is reportedly gold-plated and nicknamed "the flying palace," per the South China Morning Post.
The plane has since been parked and replaced with a 747-8 model, per TPG.
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