The 747 is plummeting out of service far faster than anyone would have expected.

Poor choice of words but 747 is certainly now dated technology.

I used to nearly always fly on 747s from Tokyo to my hometown. They've all been replaced with smaller aircraft. Now, the reasonably priced seats on the route sell out a lot quicker for spring/summer and the flights are 100% full.

Some seasons, I can't fly at all unless it's late Sept. or beyond. Or unless I want to spend 200,000 yen for a ticket that used to cost 80,000 yen.

And so I'll always associate the jumbo with an era when air travel was a lot more accessible and hassle-free.

Agree, plummet is a really bad wiord to use in the contxt of an airplane. i miss the 747 - was always nice being upstairs in the small business class cabin....... Esp with SQ or CX.

Not the best pun, really.

This quote is taken out of context from the NY Times article it came from. The article discussed the general movement of airlines away from four engine aircraft to two engine aircraft. The article discusses how the Airbus A380 has also been negatively affected by the switch. The 747 still has a decent future in cargo hauling and lasted far longer in passenger traffic than anyone ever expected. The airlines are just now looking for more frequent routes with less passengers.