RIYADH- Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia (SV), transports three retired Boeing 777 aircraft from Jeddah Airport (JED) to Riyadh by road.
The airline opts for truck transport instead of ferrying the widebodies between airports.
Saudia Transports 777
Large trucks carry the almost-complete fuselages 530 miles (850km) to their destination. Social media platform X displays photos of the aircraft craned onto trailers.
These Boeing 777-200ER variants previously accommodated 341 passengers in three-class cabins during their service with Saudia.
In Riyadh, workers will strip the aircraft of useful parts. The remaining fuselages will form part of a new tourist attraction called ‘Boulevard Runway’. This unique transportation method and repurposing of retired aircraft demonstrates innovative approaches in aviation asset management and tourism development.
Saudia retired three Boeing 777-200ER aircraft:
- HZ-AKG:
- Age: 26.6 years
- Delivered: March 1998
- Withdrawn: September 2016
- Storage: Jeddah since withdrawal
- HZ-AKK:
- Age: 26.1 years
- Delivered: September 1998
- Withdrawn: September 2016
- Service duration: 18 years
- HZ-AKP:
- Age: 25.6 years
- Delivered: March 1999
- Withdrawn: June 2017
- The last of the three to exit the service
Saudia currently operates a fleet of 37 Boeing 777-300ERs and newer Boeing 787-8s and 787-9s widebody aircraft fleet.
But the Boeing 777-200 is still in service and carriers such as United Airlines (UA) operate them, which are older than 30 years.
Korean Airlines Scrapped A380s
Earlier in May 2024, Korean Air (KE) decommissions an Airbus A380, expanding their retired double-decker jet count to eleven. Social media images show the aircraft undergoing disassembly, with the tail detached from the fuselage.
The specific A380, registered HL7613, was manufactured in 2011 and operated for over 13 years. Engine Alliance GP7270 engines powered this aircraft. Korean Air retired it in March 2020, storing it at Seoul’s Incheon Airport since then.
Dismantling occurs near an Asiana Airlines (OZ) hangar, a carrier Korean Air is acquiring.
Korean Air operates four A380s exclusively on the Seoul-Los Angeles route. A fifth A380 has remained inactive since April 18, potentially undergoing maintenance. Four older A380s, including HL7613, remain grounded for months.
Korean Air plans to phase out A380s as 27 Airbus A350-1000s arrive for long-range flights. Asiana Airlines will retire its six newer A380s, acquired between 2014 and 2016.
Planespotters records show 22 dismantled A380s out of 251 manufactured. Airbus ended A380 production in December 2021. This transition reflects airline industry trends toward more fuel-efficient, smaller long-haul aircraft.
What are your thoughts on scrapping planes and using them as new tourist attractions or converting them into living places? Let us know in the comments.
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