The top deck a Boeing 747 is set to make its final journey from Kemble to Manchester. 

Part of British Airways’ G-BYGA aircraft, it will be travelling from Cotswold Airport up to City Airport in Salford, where it is set to become a visitor centre, flight simulator and tourist attraction called The Deck.

The 150-mile journey along the M5 through Gloucestershire and Worcestershire and onto the M6 will take place on August 11.

Anybody unable to see it on route, can follow on Instagram @thedeck747 or online at thedeck747.com. Aviation vlogger Noel Philips will also be keeping people up-to-date with G-BYGA's progress via his Instagram and Facebook pages.

Boeing 747s were the UK travel industry’s most high-profile casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic as the final 38 were sent for early retirement.

British Airways scrapped all 31 of its 747s – 10 per cent of its entire fleet, while Virgin Atlantic put its last seven of the iconic aircraft out to pasture.

This is not the first 747 to be repurposed. In 2020 Cotswold Airport bought the BA Negus and remodelled it into an events space.

 

READ MORE: 747 transformed into 'party plane' at Cotswold Airport

Local airline memorabilia company Doors2Manual are responsible for the latest plane makeover. 

Co-founder Drew Hanna said: “This has been a dream of ours for a long, long time and we’re so excited to be finally getting ready for G-BYGA’s final journey to our hangar. 

"I don’t think many of us will have witnessed a Boeing 747 driving up the motorway before so it’s set to be a sight many families and flight fanatics will never forget. 

"We've been able to build Doors2Manual into one of the world's leading suppliers of airline memorabilia and parts. Now being able to salvage such a significant part of an iconic aircraft is our biggest thrill so far.”

Operations manger Karen Kearns added: “The journey to Manchester’s original airport is just the start of a second life for the old girl and we’re so privileged to be able to give her a bright future.