Why Didn't Boeing Build The 747-9?

The Boeing 747 was colloquially known as the ‘ Queen of the Skies‘ and was manufactured by the American plane maker for over 55 years, becoming an iconic chapter in modern aviation and revolutionizing the way we traveled long haul. The iconic ‘hump’ design was a way of accommodating additional passengers in an upstairs compartment directly behind the cockpit.

Initially, the hump was smaller than it became, originally featuring a small cabin with just three windows on each side of the fuselage. The manufacturer did not initially consider that airlines would want to accommodate passengers in the upper deck. This was due to Boeing’s belief that the 747 would be a prime cargo airplane. With its unique lifting cargo door at the nose of the aircraft, it accommodates larger-than-usual loads that cannot fit through the standard doors on the sides of the plane.

What Was The 747-9?

Accommodating cargo along the full length of the lower deck would require lifting the cockpit above this area, and this was the initial design concept for the 747. However, there was no initial plan for the hump to accommodate paying passengers. This hump, initially the smallest on the 747-100, began to grow with later variants. While this area upstairs was usually designed for premium-paying passengers and seats, it was not necessarily larger than the lower deck, but could accommodate some premium seats.

Considered to compete directly with the Airbus A380, the Boeing 747-9 was conceived as a way to stretch the full upper deck of the 747, accommodating the highest number of passengers ever on a Boeing aircraft. This idea would have placed Boeing directly in the same market as the game-changing Airbus A380, the only full double-decker airplane. Had this idea come to life, it could have carried up to 600 passengers in multiple class configurations.

While the idea was theoretically possible, the question remains as to why Boeing decided not to pursue the idea. Could this have really become Boeing’s answer to the Airbus A380?

Did It Make Sense?

Boeing launched the 747-8 in 2010, which was a stretched version of the 747-4. The -8, could carry up to 467 passengers in a three-class layout, or with a cargo payload of around 140 metric tons (308,000 pounds). This already placed it within arm’s reach of the Airbus A380, which accommodates a typical configuration to carry between 500 and 525 passengers. At a stretch, an all-economy class layout could accommodate more than 800 passengers (imagine that). This idea was once mooted by Air Austral to ferry passengers between Metropolitan France and the overseas department.

As explained in a simulation by YouTube sensation Swiss001, the idea of the 747-9 was that it was simply too big, and that the extra weight may have made this aircraft unfeasible. Swiss001 even believed that the extended aircraft would likely have needed an engine upgrade, along with other technological enhancements.

While the A380 boded well for international airlines like Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa, the design ultimately failed due to shifting market trends and the shift from hub-to-hub travel to point-to-point travel, where smaller aircraft fly on more unique routes. Should the 747-9 have been produced, it likely would have ended up with the same fate as the A380, with many airlines already retiring their versions of the airplane, like Air France and Thai Airways A380s, which are no longer in operation.

What Else Would Need To Change?

With ultimately extra weight, the 747-9 would have required extensive upgrades to those currently on the Boeing 747-8. As such, the additional weight of carrying a full breadth of passengers would have seen the redesign of landing gear, wings, and other structural elements to manage the heavier airplane.

A full double-deck, ultimately, would have presented both design and economic challenges for the airlines and limited their operational flexibility on key routes. Extending the upper deck would have increased the aircraft’s design weight and would have required a full redesign of the structure and wings. This would also have limited the number of airports it could have operated to, due to existing jetways and gates.

Boeing 747-400 KLM Cargo AMS - Schiphol - NL

To achieve financial profitability with the 747-9, it would have needed an extremely high passenger load factor, plus substantial cargo revenue and demand.

Resources Put To Other Aircraft Types

Qantas-(Yam-Dreaming-Livery)-Boeing-787-9-Dreamliner

Boeing ultimately shelved the 747-9 idea, in a bid to focus its time and resources on more modern aircraft that could cater to a wider range of airlines and their markets, such as the Boeing 787. The Dreamliner, which has remained hugely successful, has revolutionized point-to-point travel for airlines around the globe, and onboard passengers can enjoy improved comfort, while the airline enjoys better fuel efficiency when compared to older-generation aircraft.

Today, according to ch-aviation, some of the world’s largest operators of the 787 are Japan’s All Nippon Airways (86 overall across all three variants), United Airlines (78), American Airlines (63 – largest operator of the 787-8), Qatar Airways (54 – with another 130 on order), and Japan Airlines (45 – just the 787-8, and 787-9). For some airlines, the 787 has enabled them to push the boundaries of modern aviation, ultimately launching routes that were previously not feasible, due to distance or market demand for a larger aircraft.

The 787 can seat between 200 and 300 passengers and is perfect for routes like Auckland to New York City, a flight that can take up to 16 or 17 hours gate-to-gate, opening up direct flights between the City of Sails (Auckland) and the Big Apple (New York). Not only does Air New Zealand operate the route with its 787-9, but Qantas also provides easy one-stop itineraries that avoid a layover on the US West Coast, offering travelers across Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific a convenient option.

The Demise Of The Airbus A380

Sadly, the demise of Airbus’ flagship aircraft and the world’s largest passenger airplane model, ultimately met its fate due to shifts in market trends and the need for airlines to explore more sustainable options for passenger air travel. This led to the aircraft becoming unpopular due to its four gas-guzzling engines, whereas smaller, more economical aircraft could provide more frequent services, facilitating point-to-point travel while also offering operational flexibility to their operators.

The rise of smaller aircraft, paired with the grounding of the majority of aircraft fleets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was the nail in the coffin for Airbus. Airbus announced its plans to shelve the A380, ending production in February 2019, with the last of its type delivered to Dubai-based Emirates, the world’s largest operator of the airplane, which is home to more than 100 of the type. Emirates A380s are popular on key international markets, like Dubai International Airport (DXB) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR), as well as other destinations across Europe and beyond. The A380 includes the iconic Private Suites and Shower Spas, plus an onboard bar.

The A380 has high operational costs due to its size and four engines. This led some airlines to retire the plane, fearing high operational costs and declining demand. The A380 also required specific airport infrastructure, limiting the airports at which it could operate worldwide. Demands for such a large airplane require wider and stronger runways, and larger aircraft taxiways and parking bays. Not to mention, added passenger numbers mean that improved terminals, larger holding rooms, and enhanced baggage systems are needed. The designator for the A380 is a Code F, the same as the 747-8.

Could The 747-9 Ever Come To Reality?

It remains highly unlikely that Boeing would ever reconsider the 747-9, given that the manufacturer has already retired 747 production. Pair this with the demand for more fuel-efficient aircraft, operating with two engines, and it is necessary to cater to market demand and economic viability. The final 747 was delivered to Atlas Air, registered N863GT, in January 2023, marking the end of the iconic production of the Queen of the Skies. This concluded its five generations of production.

During the 747’s tenure, Boeing built a total of 1,573 aircraft. However, more and more continued to be retired as airlines activated their fleet renewal programs. Airlines that have already retired the 747 include British Airways, United, Delta, Qantas, Air France, Japan Airlines, Air India, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, and China Airlines. Compared to Lufthansa, Korean Air, Air China, and Rossiya, which keep their Queens flying, due to their respective airlines reiterating that these remain crucial to their operational demands.

While there has been speculation that Boeing could have another design up its sleeve, such as the 797, it would be the concept that would fill the market between the 737 and 787, being a prime fit for more efficient and appropriately sized aircraft, and a great alternative for the aging 757s, 767s, and 737s.