Northwest grounds its last 747-200

Northwest Airlines last week took its last remaining 747-200 out of scheduled passenger service. The aircraft had been operating between Tokyo and Saipan. In the late 1990s, Northwest had as many as 22 747-200s. The older model of the 747 had been part of Northwest’s fleet since 1975. The aging aircraft’s transpacific routes have been taken over by Airbus A330s that are equipped with the company’s World Business Class lie-flat seats, more room in economy class, and on-demand in-flight entertainment systems. It’s not the end of the big Boeing widebodies for Northwest, however – it still has a number of 747-400s in its fleet, which is uses across the Pacific. It also has two more 747-200s, but they will only be used in charter operations, the company said.