Skip to content
747Boeing 747History, variants & specifications
  • Home
  • 747 Family
  • Special 747s
  • The 747-8
  • Interiors
  • Seating
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Blog
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. First 747-400 heads for scrapyard

First 747-400 heads for scrapyard

Air New Zealand retired its first 747-400 for scrapping in 2009.

June 1, 2009

Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 747-400 will soon make one final flight to a wrecker’s yard as further capacity cuts loom in the face of a continued fall in demand for global air travel.

The 19-year-old jumbo, named The Bay of Islands, was grounded and put up for sale after completing Air New Zealand’s historic biofuel test flight in December.

  • Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 climbing away after takeoff

More in Blog

  • Blog

    News and notes about the Boeing 747 — retirements, deliveries, special liveries, engine milestones and unusual operations.

  • Qatar 747-8 enters service as Air Force One

    The Boeing 747-8 given to the United States by Qatar flew its first presidential mission on 1 July 2026, designated the VC-25B Bridge.

  • The last Boeing 747 is delivered

    Boeing handed the 1,574th and final 747 to Atlas Air on 31 January 2023, ending a 54-year production run at Everett.

  • Air Force One Buzzing Over New York

    A 2009 photo shoot sent a VC-25 low over Manhattan without warning the public, causing panic and an official apology.

  • ANA to retire its last two Boeing 747s

    All Nippon Airways retired its last two passenger Boeing 747s in 2014, ending decades of jumbo operations in Japan.

  • Boeing 747 #1 “Queen of the Skies” being rebuilt

    RA001, the first Boeing 747 ever built, was restored at the Museum of Flight forty-five years after making history.

Explore the site
  • Boeing 747 Family
  • Special 747s
  • 747 Photo Album
  • 747 Accidents
  • 747 Development Timeline
  • Detailed Overview 747-8
  • 747 Seat Layouts
  • 747 Interiors
  • Fun facts on the 747
  • 747 Background
  • Blog
  • 747 Videos
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
Boeing 747 Family
  • 747-100
  • 747-100B
  • 747-100F
  • 747-100SR
  • 747-100SP
  • 747-200
  • 747-200B
  • 747-200C
  • 747-200M
  • 727-200F
  • 747-300
  • 747-300M
  • 747-300SR
  • 747-400
  • 747-400BCF
  • 747-400C
  • 747-400D
  • 747-400ER
  • 747-400ERF
  • 747-400F
  • 747-400M (Combi)
  • 747-400XQLR
  • 747-8
  • 747-8F
  • 747-8i
  • 747 Trijet
  • Boeing 747-500X, -600X and -700X (never produced)
  • Yellowstone Project
Special Boeing 747s
  • 747 ASB (Advanced Short Body)
  • 747 CMCA - Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft
  • 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) Dreamlifter
  • SOPHIA - Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
  • Boeing 747 AAC (Airborne Aircraft Carrier)
  • Boeing C-33
  • Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post
  • Boeing KC-33A
  • Boeing VC25 Air Force One
  • VC-25B Bridge: the Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8
  • Evergreen Supertanker
  • Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
  • YAL-1 Airborne Laser
Boeing 747 Internals
  • Fuel System
Feeds
  • Boeing 747 News Feed
  • Boeing 747 Family
  • Special Boeing 747s
  • Boeing 747-8 Photo Feed
  • Boeing 747 Videos
  • 747 Family
  • Special 747s
  • The 747-8
  • Interiors
  • Seating
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Site map
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms

© 2026 Boeing-747.com. An independent enthusiast reference — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a publication of The Boeing Company.