Rare birds: Commercial passenger jets whose remaining numbers are dwindling fast 

In an age when demand for passenger air travel is soaring, new passenger-carrying aircraft are being delivered as fast as the major manufacturers can build them. With a steady torrent of new airplanes entering commercial passenger service with each month that passes, there are now more aircraft carrying fare-paying passengers than ever before. 

Despite this, though, the supply of new planes is being frustrated by a range of issues. From supply chain blockages and geared turbofan engine issues to industrial action affecting production rates, quality control issues, and mandated safety inspections, airlines simply cannot get hold of new planes as fast as they need them. 

Consequently, many operators are retaining older aircraft in their fleets for longer, simply so they have adequate fleet capacity to satisfy this surge in demand and take full advantage of the revenue-earning potential that prevails. This phenomenon means that several types of aircraft are remaining in commercial service for longer, providing the traveling public with perhaps the last chance to fly on them before they take up their places in the aviation history books and are gone from our skies forever. 

Karolis Kavolelis / ShutterstockSo, welcome to AeroTime’s guide to eight commercial passenger plane types that once filled our skies in abundance but are now dwindling in numbers, staving off extinction and a date with the scrapper by continuing to earn their keep. Should you fancy a flight on one of these rare birds, though, you’d better be quick. Their remaining service time is limited, and they are not likely to be flying for too much longer. 

Note: All aircraft data featured in this article has been sourced from ch-aviation.com, Planerspotters.net, and Airfleets.net, and is correct at the date of writing (October 29, 2024). All figures remain subject to change.      

Narrowbodies 

Since the dawn of the jet age, numerous single-aisle aircraft types have been operated by airlines worldwide. While many of the very early designs have long since disappeared from the commercial airline scene (such as the Sud Aviation Caravelle, British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, and the short-lived Dassault Mercure), others linger on, although with the survivors down to single digits in some cases.  

Some have survived due to their simple yet adaptable designs, rendering them capable of several mission types and stage lengths. Others have stood the test of time by offering relatively cheap engineering solutions and an enduring passenger appeal. Regardless of the specific reasons why each type has lasted over the decades, they continue to fly, carrying passengers daily and generating revenue for their owners long after they might have been retired. 

Fokker 70/100 

The Fokker 100 was a regional aircraft that was built by the Fokker Aircraft Company in the Netherlands between 1986 and 1996. The aircraft was designed to be a 109-seat airliner, capable of short-field performance to access smaller regional airports. The design was based on the F28 airliner previously produced by Fokker, incorporating some updated technologies including upgraded engines and a glass cockpit. In total, 278 F100s were built. 

Between 1994 and 1997, just 47 shorter-length Fokker 70 twinjet were delivered. The F70 had a shorter fuselage than the F100 and could carry 80 passengers in a single-class configuration. The F70 and F100 shared a large degree of commonality, with many of the flight systems allowing for a common type rating for the pilots that flew them. 

BJP7images / ShutterstockNowadays, there are just 17 of the smaller F70s still flying in commercial service. The largest such operator is Alliance Airlines in Australia, which tends to use its fleet of 12 F70s on fly-in-fly-out operations (‘FIFO’) in Western Australia, transporting staff to remote mining locations. Occasionally, they operate on behalf of Virgin Australia, predominantly on routes from Perth International Airport (PER) where the majority are based. 

Other current operators of the F70 include Air Niugini (one), plus I-Fly Air, Skywards Express, and Jetways Airlines, all in Kenya, with two, one, and one aircraft respectively.  

Of the 296 F100s built, 57 remain active with commercial carriers. From the list of remaining operators, the advantages of the type’s commonality with the F70 become apparent. Air Niugini still flies four, with Alliance in Australia again the largest operator with 20 remaining active. Network Aviation still flies 14 on behalf of QantasLink in Western Australia, while the remainder resides in Iran, with a plethora of smaller domestic carriers including Iran Aseman Airlines, Qeshm Air, Kish Airlines, and Karun Air, plus a single plane operated by national carrier Iran Air. 

Semmick Photo/ ShutterstockBoeing 717-200 

Originally designed by McDonnell-Douglas as the MD-95, the type adopted the 717 nomenclature when the larger US manufacturer swallowed up its smaller rival in 1997, taking on the MD-95 program and remarketing it as the 717-200. The production run of the 717-200 lasted from 1999 until 2006, with 155 examples built in total. Although the type saw initial interest from several carriers, it struggled to compete against other aircraft competing for sales in the 100-seat market, and production ended sooner than originally planned.  

However, the Boeing 717-200 has endured rather well, despite the low production number. Out of the 155 airframes that were built, 83 remain in active service, with the bulk of these operated by Delta Air Lines in the US, for which 67 are still operating in regular passenger service. The only other operator of the type is Hawaiian Airlines, which uses its 16 aircraft on inter-island shuttle services.  

Ryan Fletcher / ShutterstockUp until October 2024, the world’s only other surviving operator of the Boeing 717-200 was QantasLink in Australia, which had operated 22 examples over two decades (along with its Jetstar subsidiary). However, on October 26, 2024, the last of the carrier’s 717-200s were withdrawn from service, as the type’s replacement (the Airbus A220-300) took over the regional flying duties once the preserve of the 717s. 

British Aerospace 146 

The British Aerospace 146 had an illustrious carrier as a short-field specialist regional aircraft. The 146 family consisted of the original 146-100, the longer 146-200, and the 146-300 variant. The type was remarketed in the early 1990s as the Avro RJ series, although the type had already fallen out of favor by this point, with airlines preferring newer regional twinjets over the 146’s four engines (with attendant additional fuel burn and maintenance requirements). 

In all, 387 146/RJ aircraft were produced between 1983 and 2001, when production finally ended. With this number, the type became the UK’s most successful civil jet airliner ever produced. In its later life, the type carved a niche for itself serving hot-and-high mountainous airfields and special performance airports such as London City Airport (LCY), where it became the dominant type in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  

kamilpetran / ShutterstockOf the 387 built, finding examples in regular passenger service has become increasingly difficult as more and more examples are retired, placed into long-term storage, or broken up. Just five remain listed as active in passenger-carrying roles, although a handful of others remain active as dedicated freighters (10) or as converted fire-fighting aircraft in the US (nine).   

Of the remaining five that carry fare-paying passengers, two 146-200s are operated by Aerovias DAP Airlines of Chile, which are painted in a special penguin livery and tasked to fly tourists from the airline’s base in Punto Arenas (Chile) to remote airfields across South America, Patagonia, Antarctica, and the Falkland Islands. Air Libya operates a single 146-200 on domestic flights, while Yazd Airways in Iran flies two examples (one 146-200 and one 146-300) which are 37.3 and 34.4 years old respectively.   

Airbus A318 

The Airbus A318 had a troubled life from the outset. The shortest member of the A320 family of aircraft, the ‘double-shrink’ A318 offered a capacity of between 107 and 132 passengers and a range of 3,570 miles (5,750km) with final assembly taking place at the Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany between 2001 and 2013.     

However, the A318 fell far short of what was expected of it once the model was launched in 1997. Offering a high degree of commonality with its larger sisters, the A319, A320, and even the A321, Airbus had high hopes that its ‘Baby Bus’ would prove popular among customers of the larger variants. However, unattractive operating economics, paired with a high purchase price, meant that the A318 program fell far short of expectations. It proved to be the planemaker’s least popular model to date.  

Markus Mainka / ShutterstockIn total, just 80 Airbus A318s were built, many of which have since been scrapped, although some have found second lives as VIP aircraft once reconfigured from passenger-carrying roles.  

Of those that remain, just five are in regular passenger services with Air France, one of the early customers for the type. Frontier Airlines, the US-based launch customer for the type operated A318s until 2013, while British Airways deployed two A318s on their niche business class-only service between London City Airport and New York-JFK Airport (JFK) until 2019 when the route was scrapped. TAROM Romanian Airlines put its last two A318s up for sale in October 2024, withdrawing the type from active scheduled service.     

The five A318s remaining with Air France have an average age of around 18 years, with the first having been delivered to the carrier in April 2006. The airline has been gradually phasing out its 131-seat A318s and replacing them with Airbus A220-300s, which seat 148 passengers and offer far better economics. 

Markus Mainka / ShutterstockThe carrier uses its remaining aircraft prominently on domestic flights within France, from Paris Charles De Gaule Airport (CDG) to Toulouse and Nice, as well as to other European destinations such as Florence, Zurich, and Amsterdam. They are also used as backup aircraft when other members of the airline’s A320 family fleets suffer technical issues.  

Boeing 737-200 

The plane that launched many airlines into the jet age during the 1960s, the Boeing 737 has enjoyed an illustrious service over almost six decades. The first variant, the shorter-fuselage 737-100, sold just 30 examples. Nevertheless, the upgraded and lengthened 737-200, which entered service with United Airlines in 1968, would become the trailblazer of the Boeing 737 family through the 1970s and 1980s. Over 1,100 were sold between 1967 and 1988 when the last example to roll off the Boeing production linen was delivered to Xiamen Airlines in China.  

You can read more about the enduring legacy of the Boeing 737 family of aircraft by following this link.  

A brief history of the Boeing 737 family and its enduring success
The simplicity of the 737-200, along with its flexibility and ability to operate in a range of climates and airfields, has prolonged its service life far beyond what was initially envisaged back in the 1960s. Although many thousands of subsequent 737s have come since, there are just a handful of 737-200s that still fly scheduled passenger flights around the globe.  

Kevin Porter / ShutterstockLooking first at North America, where the bulk of the remaining 737-200s remain in active service, there are still nine left flying in passenger operations. Air Inuit, in Northern Canada, operates three examples, with C-GAIG being the oldest at an impressive 45.1 years old. These aircraft specialize in flying domestic passenger services and charter and cargo services to remote airfields across Northeast Canada, from the carrier’s main base at Kuujjuaq Airport (YVP) in Kuujjuaq, Quebec.  

Next up is Montréal–Mirabel International Airport (YMX)-based Nolinor Aviation. This company is a Canadian charter airline with a fleet of 14 aircraft, of which six are active Boeing 737-200s. This group of aircraft includes a 50.1-year-old 737-200C, registered as C-GNLK, with the youngest being C-GNLW, a 737-200QC (a quick-change passenger/cargo variant) at a spritely 40.3 years old.  

Sadly, Chrono Jet, a Canadian charter operator that held two 737-200s, went into administration and ceased operations on October 18, 2024. The prospects for its pair of airworthy 737-200s do not look good, with both C-FBIM and C-GTVO likely to be scrapped, meaning that two fewer examples will remain in service.  

Elsewhere, a handful of 737-200s is left flying passengers regularly, offering travelers a fast-dwindling opportunity to travel on this vintage type. Halla Airlines in Nairobi (Kenya) operates a single aircraft, as does Estelar and Venezolana, both based in Venezuela. In the same country, Avior Airlines still operates two. Aviatsa in Honduras utilizes its single 737-200 on passenger services, in what must be one of the most impressive and eye-catching liveries ever be worn by the type.  

Widebodies  

The slowly declining range of aircraft types still in regular passenger service is not just limited to the narrow-body, single-aisle sector. Even the widebodied twin-aisle arena has seen its fair share of aircraft types and variants come and go over the years, with the legacy of some types lasting longer than others. Here, we will look at three types that were once hugely popular with airlines worldwide, but whose numbers are now reduced to a mere fraction of what they once were. 

Airbus A310 

Launched in 1978 as a shorter version of the Airbus A300, but offering a longer range for intercontinental services, the Airbus A310 first flew in commercial service with launch customers Swissair and Lufthansa in April 1983. Securing long-range ETOPS (Extended Range Twin Engine Operations) certification led to the A310 being heavily used on Transatlantic flights, on routes that only required a capacity of around 220 passengers.  

Mikhalis Makarov / ShutterstockThe aircraft was produced by Airbus in Toulouse between 1981 and 1998. Production ended when the newer Airbus A330-200 effectively took up the A310-300’s role. However, 255 A310s of all variants were produced, flying with many major airlines including TAP Air Portugal, Air France, Lufthansa, Czech Airlines, British Caledonian, Delta Air Lines, Pan Am, Wardair Canada, Turkish Airlines, and Emirates.   

Of those 255 examples, just ten remain in regular passenger service, mostly in Iran, where carriers Iran Airtour, Yazd Airways, and Ava Airlines still operate three, one, and one of the type respectively. The only other airline with active A310s is Ariana, the national carrier of Afghanistan, which continues to operate two of the widebodies. Its pair includes YA-FGF, which is 33.6 years old and first flew for Turkish Airlines, alongside YA-FGG, which is 33 years old and was originally delivered to Hapag Lloyd in Germany in January 1992. 

JetKat / ShutterstockAirbus A340 

Once the pride of Airbus’ long-haul product range, ultimately developed further into the longer range A340-500 and A340-600, the A340-300 established itself as a twin-aisle long-range airliner capable of carrying up to 290 passengers over a distance of 8,400 miles (3,500 km).     

Designed in conjunction with the comparatively shorter range A330 series and its sister, the A340-200, the A340-300 first flew in October 1991 and received certification, along with the shorter A340-200, on December 22, 1992. Both variants entered service in March 1993 with launch customers Lufthansa and Air France. The larger A340-500 and A340-600 came later, being jointly launched in December 1997.  

Markus Mainka / ShutterstockFrom 1991 to 2012, 377 of all A340 variants were produced by Airbus, of which the A340-300 was the most popular model with 218 sold. This compares to 28 A340-200s, 34 A34-500s, and 97 A340-600s.  

The premature downfall of the A340 family came in the form of the Boeing 777-200ER and 777-300ER, the capabilities of which matched those of the Airbus quad jet but by employing two rather than four engines, resulting in lower operating costs.  As demand for Boeing’s newest long-hauler took off, the Airbus A340 was left flailing in its wake, and sales dried up. Heavy incentives and deals offered by Airbus could not save the program, and the end of production was announced in November 2011, although Airbus already had the A380 superjumbo to offer airlines at the top of its long-haul range.  

With 377 A340s of all variants produced, it is remarkable that just 55 remain in regular passenger service worldwide (three -200s, 35 -300s, one -500, and 16 -600s). Of the surviving shorter A340-200s, Conviasa of Venezuela operates two, while Mahan Air in Iran operates the other. Of the longer A340-300, five remain with Swiss leisure airline Edelweiss Air, one each with Hi Fly Malta and Iran Aseman Airlines, three with Kam Air in Afghanistan, and 12 with Lufthansa. Elsewhere, in Iran, Mahan Air holds three, and Meraj Air has one. SWISS is keeping four of the type active, while German charter operator USC employs one. 

Michael Derrer Fuchs / ShutterstockOf the later models, the A340-500 and A340-600, the sole remaining operator of the shorter A340-500 is the Sands Corporation of Las Vegas, which flies regular customers to the Sands Casino/Hotel in Sin City, Nevada. Of the longer A340-600s, ten remain active with Lufthansa, one with Conviasa, four with Mahan Air, and one with USC. Others continue fulfilling VIP and Government roles.  

Boeing 747-400    

Arguably, we have saved the best until last. One doesn’t have to go too far back to a time when all major international airlines had the mighty Boeing 747-400 form the backbone of their long-haul fleets. From airlines that had just a handful to those whose fleets stretched well into double figures, the Boeing 747-400 became the archetypal long-haul airliner when deliveries started in 1989. Over the following twenty years, until 2009, 694 Boeing 747-400s were produced and could be seen as stalwarts at every major international airport around the world. 

Markus Mainka / ShutterstockHowever, once large twin-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300ER and the A330-300 began taking over many routes once the territory of the 747-400, orders began to wither. Although a larger successor to the 747-400 was launched in the form of the 747-8I, the new variant failed to garner significant commercial aircraft. With just 36 passenger variants ordered, the entire 747 production program ended in 2023 with the final delivery of a 747-8F to Atlas Air, bringing 53 years of 747 production to an end.  

Of the -400 variant, Lufthansa still operates five, with its oldest being D-ABTK at 22.9 years old. US-based charter carrier Atlas Air operates five, three on behalf of the US military as troop carriers, the other two on general public charter flights. Air China continues to operate a sole example in the form of 24.7-year-old B-2472, while Russian airline Rossiya still has RA-73286 on its books. Indeed, on October 25, 2024, this very aircraft operated a rotation between Vladivostok and Rostov-on-Don on behalf of its parent company Aeroflot.  

KITTIKUN YOKSAP / ShutterstockSummary 

Given the sheer number of commercial aircraft pouring off production lines in the current era, it is hard to imagine a time when all of these new planes will face the end of their flying careers, only to be retired and broken up just as their predecessors were. But this will undoubtedly happen, as newer and more efficient aircraft are developed, perhaps using alternative fuels to kerosene to power themselves and their payloads of passengers across the skies of the future. 

In the meantime, the types listed above are entering the twilight of their commercial passenger service lives. A lucky few might find themselves escaping the breaker’s axe and being preserved as museum exhibits. The rest will be confined to the aviation history books – once the pride of their owner’s fleet, now remaining simply as a line of data on some list. So, fly on them while you still can, as soon they will be gone forever. 

 

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