# Last 747 passenger flight in the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272 "2018-01-09T21:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/181 "2026-05-18T11:23:05Z")
And here i am, back on a 747, preparing to return to the US. This is also a 747-400. Who knows, maybe it’s the same jet, and it just shuttles back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/182 "2026-05-18T19:40:22Z")
(pretty sure it was the same jet.) ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/183 "2026-05-19T02:39:45Z")
The _Washington Post_ just had an article about ashtrays on airplanes. Yes, they’re still there, and they’re still required. (Gift link that may require registration) [https://wapo.st/4uR4RVX](https://wapo.st/4uR4RVX) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/184 "2026-05-19T11:44:55Z")
Then why only on one of the four bathrooms? (I was curious and checked.) Do they expect scofflaws to scope out the right bathroom? (And i guess it’s asking too much of passengers to think they might extinguish a cigarette in the sink or toilet, rather than in the trash can? That’s somewhat astonishing.) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/185 "2026-05-19T17:11:18Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Then why only on one of the four bathrooms? Maybe European regulations are different? On US based airlines I’m sure I’ve seen them in every lavatory. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > (And i guess it’s asking too much of passengers to think they might extinguish a cigarette in the sink or toilet, rather than in the trash can? That’s somewhat astonishing.) IIRC, back in the era when smoking was allowed on planes there were a few fires started by passengers disposing of cigarette butts in the trash can. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/186 "2026-05-19T17:19:02Z")
Looking at the 747 Minimum Equipment List (MEL). Lav door ashtrays are considered Non-essential Furnishings (NEF). A minimum of 1 is required by the FAA, but it is not required for dispatch provided the missing or damaged one is replaced within 10 days. if there are multiple onboard, up to 50% of them can be missing or inop for 10 days. > **[B\_747\_400.pdf](https://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/MEL-LEM/tcbbs/mmels/B_747_400.pdf)** > > 2.18 MB ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/187 "2026-05-21T02:45:32Z")
I heard a roar tonight and looked up to see this: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/xkESK7K.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/xkESK7K) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/188 "2026-05-21T12:15:15Z")
You took that photo? Gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/189 "2026-05-21T12:19:22Z")
A door ashtray? None of the lavs had ashtrays in the door. The one that existed was in an exterior (to the lav) wall. The wall between the lav and the C-D corridor. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/190 "2026-05-21T13:02:48Z")
Yup, this was in the next town over but our house is on one of the flight paths for Logan Airport so depending on the winds we have planes low overhead quite often. I see A380s often, but it’s a bit more rare to see the 747. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2026, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/191 "2026-05-21T16:08:38Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Global Airlines, the startup planning to fly A380s only, flew its first plane from the US to Scotland where it will be refurbished for it’s new role. So, they have a plane. They made 4-5 flights with passengers, and now the plane is in long term storage. I think they’re done. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/192 "2026-06-02T19:50:34Z")
Yesterday evening, I was driving past Chicago O’Hare, and I saw the unmistakeable shape of a 747. Sure enough, it was a Lufthansa plane, taking off. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272/193 "2026-06-02T20:03:36Z")
They’re still planning on flying their 747-8s into the 2030s. They’ve got 18 of those, so there’s a good shot at seeing them for years to come. Lufthansa also still has 8 747-400s and will retire all of them by next year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-747-passenger-flight-in-the-us/806272.md?page=9)