Corsair 747-400 Farewell
On June 12, 2020, Corsair International officially ceased operations of its Boeing 747-400s at Paris-Orly Airport (LFPO), marking a milestone in the history of French aviation. Here's a complete recap of this landmark event.
The F-HSEA and F-HSUN were diverted to Kemble (United Kingdom) on June 9 and 12, 2020, for dismantling.
The last flight, identified as SS747 with registration F-GTUI, took off on June 15, 2020, from Orly, performing a spectacular low-pass, and then flew to England.
Statistics
More than 102,000 cumulative flight hours, 7 million passengers carried, a geographical total equivalent to 2,000 orbits of the Earth or 200 times the Earth-Moon journey. These 747-400s followed a long line of Boeing 747s operated by Corsair (-100, -200, -300, -400, SP versions) since 1990-1999.
Towards a more modern fleet
Following the retirement, Corsair operates exclusively with Airbus A330-200/-300s. New A330-900neos are also expected to strengthen the fleet from 2020–2021, contributing to more efficient and environmentally friendly management.
Conclusion
The departure of Corsair's 747-400s on June 12 and 15, 2020, symbolizes more than just a fleet renewal: it marks the end of 30 years of history and nostalgia for aviation enthusiasts, and the beginning of an era focused on efficiency, sustainability, and flexibility with modern aircraft like the A330neos.
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