The slow disappearance of the legendary Boeing 747 airplane from the skies continues, as the last official flight aboard this iconic aircraft operated by Air France has been announced.

Appropriately named Air France flight 747, you can be one of the passengers on this special flight — whose origination and destination airport is Charles de Gaulle, which serves the Paris metropolitan area — on Thursday, January 14, 2016 for a fare of €220.00 for any seat aboard the airplane.

Last Official Flight on Air France Boeing 747

The unique experience — considered to be an exceptional tribute flight over France and its legendary landmarks as well as a salute to the emotional last flight of this easily-recognizable Jumbo Jet aircraft — will occur greater than 45 years after the first flight from Paris to New York on Wednesday, June 3, 1970. The flight is scheduled to depart at 11:30 in the morning; and all passengers will experience a business class lunch and champagne — as well as commentary of the history of France during the flight.

After the airplane returns to the airport, the passengers of the historic flight will be invited to discover the aircraft maintenance workshops of Air France and share a tribute drink at the foot of the aircraft itself.

Air France claims to be one of the first airlines to operate the Boeing 747 aircraft; and it became the flagship of its fleet of airplanes whose primary purpose was to transport passengers long distances:

In the cabin, Air France started innovating from the early seventies and changed its DNA to better serve its customers. The role of chief purser was created to coordinate the service and attention paid to customers in this aircraft which could carry up to 500 passengers. Inflight cuisine was of great importance, with menus designed by great French chefs: Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenôtre and Pierre Troisgros, who forged exclusive partnerships with Air France. Finally, the cabin interior was designed by Pierre Gautier-Delaye, who paid particular attention to the comfort of the seat cushions and seatbacks.

Reservations and Information

To reserve your place on this last flight of the Boeing 747 operated by Air France, call 01 56 93 70 28 — or +33 1 56 93 70 28 if you call from outside France — between 10:00 in the morning and 5:00 in the evening Central European Time Monday through Friday.

Edited to add that seats are no longer available, as the flight has been sold out.

Click here to access the official benchmark historical Internet web site for additional information pertaining to the history of the Boeing 747 aircraft with Air France.

Summary

Although it is not expected to happen for years, the classic look of the Boeing 747 aircraft effortlessly plying the skies overhead and lumbering towards destinations around the world will be missed by many aircraft aficionados when the last airline ceases operations of the airplane permanently — see this trip report by Marshall Jackson of InsideFlyer as one example of celebrating the Boeing 747 airplane…

…or if you want to start your own airline, you can attempt to claim one of three Boeing 747 airplanes which were apparently abandoned for more than a year at an airport in Malaysia. You must submit your claim within 14 days.

If you feel strongly emotional about the Boeing 747 aircraft and want to be a small part of commercial aviation history, consider booking a reservation on this special flight operated by Air France for the cost of approximately $240.00…

…and if you are unable to be in Paris to attend, you can still follow the event with #AF747 on Twitter.

This Boeing 777-328ER is one of the reasons why the Boeing 747 has been phased out by Air France. Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.