- I really miss travel at the moment especially flying on
the 747 and travel to the Far East.
(dramatic music)
For many years I'm going on the mission to fly
all the 747 in the world.
In this video I want to share with you lots of nostalgic,
unseen unique footage of my 747 voyage in the Far East.
Growing up in Hong Kong I saw so many 747 on a daily basis.
In fact, Asia probably has more 747 than all the other
continents added together.
Just about every country in the Far East from Japan
to Thailand, from Korea to Indonesia operated 747.
But why the Boeing 747 is so popular in far East Asia.
(dramatic music)
- The reasons for widespread use of the 747 in Asia
was purely practical but it added a sense of occasion
and glamour and luxury to be flying on a Jumbo.
Asia has a greater topographical challenge including large
stretches of water and the population is more centralised
in mega cities creating huge trunk routes
with massive passenger volume.
I think people from outside Asia don't realise how big
the continent is.
Singapore to Tokyo is a seven-hour flight,
longer than New York to London.
747 fleets on other continents tended to be exclusively
long haul but I was always fascinated by the mixed use
of Asia's 747 fleets doing Hong Kong to Taipei
or Singapore to Bangkok which are flights of only
one or two hours and then the same jet would operate
Taipei to Los Angeles or Bangkok to Sydney, over 10 hours.
(inspiring music)
- Yesterday when I watched the last Cathay Pacific 747
from Tokyo to Hong Kong I almost teared up.
When Cathay upgraded their 747 their first class
was arguably the best 747 first class experience I ever had.
In fact, the seats are so wide if you're sitting up
at the nose of one knee in one (indistinct) you have
the most private seats ever.
My last Cathay 747 was from Tokyo Haneda to Hong Kong.
After take off, we flew over Mount Fuji in Japan
under the wings and the 4RB2 11 engines.
It was an another excellent flight with excellent service
and cuisine and another spectacular memory for my log book.
(inspiring music)
I flew Singapore Airline's 747 extensively in the 2000s.
I was living in Sydney.
I remember there were three daily 747-400 service
from Sydney to Singapore.
Using miles cleverly I was able to experience
the spectacular first-class service onboard
Singapore Airlines in the nose of the 747.
But I also know one even bigger Singapore Airlines 747 fun
than I am, here's Gino.
- Hello everyone.
I'd like to share my memorable experience
onboard Singapore Airline 747-400 on SQ 001
from San Francisco to Hong Kong to Singapore.
It was a brand new aircraft.
it was delivered in July, 1990 named Mega Top.
That's how Singapore Airlines named the 747-400
at that time.
I was pretty excited.
It was my first very long haul flight.
I have one grey memory.
I was invited to the cockpit to stay and I stayed there
for a couple of hours until we start approaching
to Hong Kong.
The captain was very friendly.
I remember he allowed me to take pictures of the cap,
of the cockpit, of the instruments.
And yes, I still remember the crew, the service.
First class service at that time was,
I wouldn't say slightly better but different
from what is these days.
After that many other Singapore Airlines 747-400
came into my log book.
(plane engine humming) (dramatic music)
- I was also on the last ever Singapore 747 flights
from Hong Kong to Singapore on April, 6, 2012 on SQ 748.
Singapore Airlines are really knowing how to celebrate
occasions like that.
They made a special farewell 747 cake
and champagne free-flowing around the whole plane.
The whole flight was extremely fun and sociable.
Every 747 farewell was an emotional flight especially that
speech when the 747 landed the last time in Singapore.
- [Pilot] For many of you passages out here
it's through the B 747 aircraft that the love for commercial
life had begun. (passengers clapping)
Ladies and gentlemen thank you all for being a part
of this very special flight.
You have been very special.
This will be going down the history books of Singapore
Airlines SQ 748.
Give yourselves a round of applause ladies and gentlemen.
(passengers cheering)
(wind whooshing)
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(wind whooshing)
The Japanese clearly loved the jumbo jets.
In fact, Japan Airlines operated more than 100 747
in their fleets at one time.
You can fly domestically in Japan on a jumbo jet every hour
from Tokyo to Osaka to Sapporo or Fukuoka.
(inspiring music)
- This special 747-400s were easily recognisable
because they did not have winglets.
Winglets only helped with efficiency in the cruise
whereas on a short hop from Tokyo to Osaka
the entire flight is either climbing or descending
and winglets only bring added weight with
no aerodynamic benefit.
I flew in a very special domestic 747 of All Nippon Airways,
ANA painted in a unique Pokemon livery called
Pikachu dreaming.
- JAL and ANA are also master at painting there 747
to special livery.
Look at all of these Disney special livery,
Poking Mons and world cup.
In fact, I think 747 is the best airliner to wear
the special livery. (inspiring music)
(plane engine humming)
Thai Airways 747 was a very common sight in many
Asia-Pac countries.
(plane engine humming)
The problem with Thai Airway 747 is the onboard products.
Look at an onboard business class product.
It is almost one generation behind.
They're still using an angle flat seats in year 2020
right now but I have to admit Thai 747 was one
of my absolute favourite memory.
Just look at that Thai art on the bulkhead of the 747
nose, the odd longitudinal gully and also the classy
Thai dress worn by the flight crew.
If there's one seat I would joy in the economy class
on the 747 that will be the last row,
the twin seater where you can see at the end of the 747.
Look all the way to the front and see the curvature
of the 747.
I enjoy sitting those many times during takeoff and landing
and I will say Thai has a pretty strong
economy class products. (plane engine humming)
My last Thai 747 flight was from Phuket to Sapporo.
Imagine flying from a tropical place 35 degrees
to a freezing place minus 10 degrees all on that 747.
I really enjoyed a snow landing in Sapporo.
(plane engine humming) (people murmuring)
Well, Thai Airways is currently putting all their 747
up for sale but I really hope they can organise
a last farewell flight to celebrate their history
with the 747 and I'm sure there're many lovers
of Thai Airways 747 in the world.
(inspiring music)
Well, let's not forget about Malaysia Airlines 747.
They also operate a very large fleet and spun as far
as (indistinct), Cape town and all over the world.
I only managed to fly Malaysia Airlines 747 twice
and the service was spectacular.
The Malaysian hospitality and the saute they serve,
many said was even better than Singapore Airlines.
(inspiring music)
Garuda Indonesia also operated many 747 throughout
the years.
I flew the last time in 2013 from Jeddah to Jakarta
and I remember they actually have economy class
up in the upper deck. (inspiring music)
Philippine Airlines was also another major 747 operator
in the Far East.
Unfortunately, I've never flown on Philippine Airlines 747.
(plane engine humming) (woman talking)
I was also lucky to have flown on EVA Air 747
just before they retired in 2016 from Shanghai to Taipei.
The flight time was just 19 minutes on a 747.
In fact, EVA air was the first airline in the world
to introduce premium economy class on their 747.
(plane engine humming)
Most people get confused between Air China
and China Airlines.
Air China is the flag carrier of mainland China.
They're a handful carriers still operating the 747-400
and also new 747-8.
I flew on Air China 747-8 once from Beijing to Shanghai
on a domestic flights but my co-author of my "Air 747" book
Charles Kennedy has a lot of great things to say
about Air China.
- Air China is an interesting airline
because they're actually a huge airline with an enormous
fleet of hundreds of aeroplanes and a very keen 747 operator
including SPs back in the day.
But they're not quite thought of in the same terms
as Singapore or Cathay or Thai but they have an extremely
solid product.
I've enjoyed several transpacific flats on Air China 747s
from San Francisco to Beijing.
They have a unique layout which puts business class
in the nose and first class behind it.
This is because the first class suites are so wide
that there will not fit in the unusual shape
of the nose cabin
Air China is also a favourite of mine because of their safety
bear who appears in the safety video.
He is a very special species of bear whose natural habitat
is escape slides, aircraft toilets when someone smokes
and the occasional water landing.
Always a cheerful start to a flight with the safety bear.
This little bear with the flight attendants at the end
of the video always melts my heart.
(soft music)
- China Airlines is from Taiwan.
They crashed a few 747s including a four-months-old 747
overran the runway in old Hong Kong Kai Tak Airports.
They did improve their safety standards and painted
one of their 747 in Boeing's colour which is also
on the front cover of my "Air 747" book.
(plane engine humming)
I have flown on Korean Air 747-400 twice.
One time I have the entire nose area and one time I have
the entire upper deck to myself.
I even turned all 12 first-class sleeper seats down
to take a picture.
Korean Air have recently retired all their 747-400s.
Before retirement they were deployed on the domestic routes
between Seoul and Jeju which is one if the busiest
air routes in the world.
I also managed to fly on Korean Air new 747-8
from Hong Kong to Hethro.
During the flight they served a five course meal
which on the menu they call a snack on this two
and a half hour flights.
There were only six private suites in the nose area
which provided some ultimate comfort and privacy.
I always loved that view from the 747 forward leading
edge wing with the engines running.
(man talking) (plane engine humming)
- Asiana still operate 747-400 on the flight to China
at the moment.
I flew on Asiana 747 from Taipei to Seoul two years ago.
I remember sitting in the nose area.
I can hear the gear retract and fully locked up
in the gear bay. (wind whooshing)
I also had a very smooth landing on the 747
Asiana in Yecheon. (plane engine humming)
(wind whooshing)
The 747 is probably the world's most recognisable aeroplane
and I'm a huge fan of the 747 and I always will be one.
(dramatic music) (plane engine humming)
Thank you for the ride, the memories and the fun.
Farewell to the queen of the skies.
(plane engine roaring)
(wind whooshing) (bell rings)