Boeing 747-8 is approved to serve hundreds of global airports

SEATTLE, 9 April 2012. The Boeing (NYSE:BA) 747-8, having entered service less than six months ago, has been approved for operations at 200 airports around the world. To date, 63 airports around the world are supporting revenue flights from 14 in-service 747-8 Freighters operated by five carriers. “The approval shows the newest member of the 747 family can operate safely within an airport environment, accounting for regulatory requirements, clearances, pavement loading, and parking requirements,” says a spokesperson. "No one knows the 747-8 better than the teams at Boeing. We put that knowledge to work by partnering with airlines, airports and regulators around the globe to ensure that our customers get the ultimate value out of their investment," says Sherry Carbary, vice president, Flight Services, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. London Heathrow Airport became the 200th airport to receive regulatory approval for 747-8 operations. The 747-8 family is the only airplane above 400 seats approved to serve more than 60 airports around the world, according to Boeing. The 747-8's increased wingspan over the 747-400 places the airplane in the lower end of International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO’s) airport design code F. ICAO airport design codes categorize airplanes based on wingspan and outer main-gear wheel span. "Boeing applied a true working together approach to create a fruitful and constructive environment to gain regulatory approvals for 747-8 operations," explains Sten Rossby, chief technical pilot of Cargolux. "Our business success depends on having a sizeable choice of destinations." Boeing 747-8 operators have identified a total of 240 destination airports, “significantly more than the airplane's main competitor is able to serve,” says a spokesperson. “The 747-8 family provides airlines with double-digit improvements in fuel burn, operating costs, and emissions, while being 30 percent quieter and adding more capacity.”