Boeing 747-400

The 747-400 was the mature, long-range version of Boeing’s original jumbo jet idea. Introduced at the end of the 1980s, it brought the classic 747 silhouette into the modern airline era with winglets, improved engines, a two-crew glass cockpit and the range to link major cities across oceans with fewer stops.

For many travellers, the 747-400 became the face of international aviation: vast, graceful and unmistakably upper-decked. It carried passengers, freight and national prestige, and it remained a flagship aircraft long after newer twin-engine wide-bodies began to overtake four-engine jets on efficiency.