Plane with the bump heads for the dump

THE end of the world-changing jumbo era is nigh.

The plane that democratised air travel could soon be consigned to the aviation scrapheap. Boeing, which began building the 747 half a century ago, has quietly conceded that sales of the jumbo have slowed dramatically. In a brief statement, the aircraft maker said: “It is reasonably possible that we could decide to end production of the 747.”

The double-decker plane revolutionised the world when it started flying in 1970, more than doubling the capacity in a single aircraft. As well as transforming the economics of air travel to allow far more people to travel, it also bestowed unprecedented levels of luxury for the fortunate few in the upstairs “bubble”.

Richard Branson chose the name “upper class” for his business product because it initially comprised just eight seats in the cabin immediately behind the flight deck.

Nearly 50 years on, the 747 still meets the transportation needs of the US president. As recently as three years ago, it was giving lifts to a hitch-hiking space shuttle en route to its final resting place. The jumbo has been the backbone of many long-haul fleets for its 45 years of existence.

The reputation of the 747 remained strong, especially in comparison with its ill-starred rival, the Douglas DC-10. In 1989, the new long-range 747400 flew a demonstration flight non-stop from London to Sydney — a distance of around 17,000km. “They were flying on fumes by the end,” recalls one long-serving member of the Qantas cabin crew.