Qantas announced the retirement of its 747 fleet at the end of June, bringing an official end to nearly 50 years of service with the airline. To say goodbye, Qantas will operate three special ‘Farewell Jumbo Joy Flights’ on 13, 15, and 17 July with its last remaining 747. The aircraft will then depart Sydney for the final time as QF7474 on 22 July.
Track the Farewell Jumbo Joy Flights
The first farewell flight will take place in Sydney on 13 July, followed by Brisbane on 15 July, and Canberra on 17 July. All flights will be operated by 747-400(ER) VH-OEJ. OEJ was the last of six 747-400(ER) aircraft delivered to Qantas, entering service in 2003 wearing the special ‘Wunala Dreaming’ livery.
To follow the flights set an alert or search VH-OEJ or follow directly on the map below.
The map above will only display VH-OEJ when the aircraft is active. If the map is blank, the aircraft does not have its transponder active.
Jumbo Joy schedule
Below is the tentative schedule for the Jumbo Joy flights and the final departure from Sydney. All times are subject to change without notice, so set your alerts for VH-OEJ to find out as soon as the flight is active.
| Date | Departure City | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 13 July | Sydney | 08:30 (22:30 UTC -1) |
| 15 July | Brisbane | 08:30 (22:30 UTC -1) |
| 17 July | Canberra | 10:30 (00:30 UTC) |
| 22 July | Sydney | 14:00 (04:00 UTC) |
Qantas’ 747 history
Qantas took delivery of its first 747 in 1971, a 747-200 registered VH-EBA. Ten years later the 747SP joined the Qantas fleet. Qantas operated just two examples of the shortened version of the Jumbo Jet. In 1989, Qantas took delivery of its first 747-400 and made history with the first non-stop flight between London and Sydney. Some of Qantas’ 747s had the ability to carry a spare fifth engine specially mounted under the wing between fuselage and the #2 engine. Qantas last used that capability in 2016 when VH-OJS brought a spare engine to Johannesburg.
Share your Qantas 747 memories with us
Have a special memory of the Qantas 747? Share it with us in the comments below.
Featured image © Victor Pody
Related links
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![An example full flight summary response from the Flightradar24 API: { "data": [ { "fr24_id": "0987654321", "flight": "SK1415", "callsign": "SAS1415", "operated_as": "SAS", "painted_as": "SAS", "type": "A20N", "reg": "SE-DOY", "orig_icao": "ESSA", "orig_iata": "ARN", "datetime_takeoff": "2023-01-27T05:15:22", "runway_takeoff": "12R", "dest_icao": "EKCH", "dest_iata": "CPH", "dest_icao_actual": "EPWA", "dest_iata_actual": "WAW", "datetime_landed": "2023-01-27T06:15:10", "runway_landed": "27L", "flight_time": 3600, "actual_distance": 1007.74, "circle_distance": 6245, "category": "Passenger", "hex": "4A91F9", "first_seen": "2023-01-27T05:06:22", "last_seen": "2023-01-27T06:18:10", "flight_ended": "true" } ] }](https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Flight-summary-API-cover-300x148.jpg)
21 Responses
1st flight to New Zealand was on VHOJS and I now have a print and model of the aircraft . Great to fly on ..
I flew on the very first Pan American 747 from O’Hare to Heathrow in 1969.
I´m a great Fan of the 747 to see the Plane dying one after one and nowone uses the new 747 – 8 is sad to see
Worked for Qantas in Mascot EOC on Avionics off the 747s 1989 to 1992 , good memories
My first flight on a 747 was on VH-ECB from Sydney to Los Angeles with a stopover in Honolulu in 1983. I was nine years old. On the Honolulu to Los Angeles leg my younger brother and I were allowed to go up to the cockpit. I saw Los Angeles for the first time from the cockpit of that 747.
My last flight on a 747 was on VH-OJS from Hong Kong to Sydney in 2017.
I’m going to miss the 747s, they’re the most beautiful aircraft in the skies!
One of my first memories when I was young was when I was on vacation in San Francisco in 2009. I remember riding the sky train at SFO and looking down at a Qantas 747-400 parked at the gate. I remember how large of a plane it was and that unique hump at the front. I could paint a portrait on the vivid picture in my mind, and since the quad jets are going away, that memory to me is extra special.
I went to the UK for my 21st birthday at my Grandmothers on the first Qantas 747. – My first flight ever and was allowed to smoke!
Dates etc are sketchy in my memory but close enough for an old bloke! ps: gave up smoking many years ago!
My first flight ever was as an 11 yr old in 1971 (or 12 in ‘72). We flew YYZ -AMS on KLM in one of their first 747’s. In those days you were treated like a king. We visited the cockpit, climbed the circular staircase to the lounge and explored all over while my parent’s slept in their KLM slippers. My mother passed away a few years ago and whilst cleaning up the estate, came across a treasure hoard of “mementos” mum had scoffed as souvenirs, including a pair of those slippers. I put them all aside but someone tossed everything before I realized it. Would have liked a photo or two as my souvenir. I still cherish those memories even as they fade away in the distance.
Two memories: the first is when my wife and I first flew to Ausralia in Quantas 747 Cabin Class courtesy of a really good ‘Around the World’ deal through the ‘Daily Telegraph’ in 2000. Fantastic service and food. The second is after my emergency phone call to my Head Office from Brisbane. I had to get to Hong Kong and back by a certain date and the only seats available were at the very front in First Class on a Quantas 747. My office said OK. It felt fantastic.
I’ll miss the 747 jumbo the sp as well been working along side them for 27yrs .Its like there taking cr
I have recorded all my flights since being a child and I just reviewed my total flights on the QF 747. 190 flights over 1811 flying hours. First flight was on 22 July 1977 from Singapore to Frankfurt at age 9 ( via Athens and Belgrad). Farewell!
My only Qantas Jumbo flight was a black friday – 13 December 1985 Sydney to Port Moresby in their Combo Jumbo version. The good thing was having only three people in Business Class so we practically had our own steward/stewardess and never had so much food and drink on a plane. Other Jumbo flights were on Qantas shared routes so in 30 years only experienced Qantas international once but then there are probably some who have never.
I was fortunate to fly on this aircraft (OEJ) between Melbourne and Sydney on QF438 on 1st Jan 2020 ; and on 15th Feb.2020 from Sydney to MEL on QF439 using now stored (OEH) to say Farewell to QF’s “Queen of the Skies” series of flights. As a Flightradar24 user I will of course follow these flights on Flightradar24 on the dates advertised.
My first international flight was on a Qantas 747-400 on 26th August 1992. I was 13 years old and I got to visit the cockpit. I’ve had a passion for aviation ever since.
Last flew in a Qantas 747 from Santiago ( Chile) to Sydney in February, 2018.
Lucky to have Business seat 3F in the very front section. Lots of room, as this area used to be the space occupied by First Class back in the days before First Class was eliminated from the Qantas fleet.
when exactly is it due to depart Brisbane and/or what times are the flights around Moreton Bay and to the North of Brisbane, especially Redcliffe Peninsula please?
Long live the Queen of the skies never forget that this wonderful aircraft any of the Qantas fleet 747s they were the best and it will never leave me from my heart all Australians will remember this beautiful iconic ship we will remember them and never forget these flying battle machines I take my cap off we love you for what you did and looking after us you flew beautifully across the world thank you for your hospitality and your lovely service we miss you and God bless you.
Hi I wish I was on that flight but now too late I would love and enjoy the cruise ship takes me way back in history since I was a boy I flew Qantas 747s from 1983 to 2012 remarkably the best aircraft in the world and we Australians are proud one of the best aircraft has flew non stop from London to Sydney in 1997 it is in the Guinness book of world records the best no other aircraft has done it good too thank you for the flight crew and cabin crew they will never forget that day I take my hat off for you.
OJA (now in the Albion Park museum, which also flew the first London-Sydney nonstop) carried me on my first trip to Australia in 2009. It took 54 years before I could make that trip and was I ever excited. The trip was all the more memorable when, due to fog in Brisbane, we initially diverted toward Fiji then diverted again toward Noumea and landed there to take on more fuel. How special was that ? These days, when I see her (or any QF 747), I think of the feeling of adventure and about glancing back out through those windows toward New Caledonia and, later, toward Australia (Fraser Island) for the first time. Such a special plane and era; thought it would last forever, but nothing really does.
i remember watching in awe as that first jumbo flew low over melbourne.
I will miss these so much. Flew on my first one as a 9 year old, over 40 years ago. They will always be THE best aircraft ever, and hopefully will be remembered for all time. Nearly 50 years flying the same aircraft type is amazing, will never happen again.