Boeing celebrated the delivery of the final 747 to Atlas Atlas Air Worldwide, bringing to a close more than a half century of production of the iconic airliner.

Thousands of people – including current and former employees as well as customers and suppliers – were there to mark the occasion at Everett, Washington.

Boeing employees who designed and built the first 747, known as the “Incredibles,” returned to be honoured at the Everett factory where the journey of the 747 began in 1967. The factory produced 1,574 airplanes over the life of the programme.

“This monumental day is a testament to the generations of Boeing employees who brought to life the airplane that ‘shrank the world,’ and revolutionised travel and air cargo as the first widebody,” said Stan Deal, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“It is fitting to deliver this final 747-8 Freighter to the largest operator of the 747, Atlas Air, where the ‘Queen’ will continue to inspire and empower innovation in air cargo.”

As the first twin-aisle airplane and “Jumbo Jet”, the “Queen of the Skies” enabled airlines to connect people across vast distances and provide non-stop trans-oceanic flights. Its development solidified Boeing’s role as an industry leader in commercial aviation.

The airplane’s core design with its distinctive hump and seating in the upper deck has delighted generations of passengers and operators alike. Boeing continued to improve on the original design with models like the 747-400 in 1988 and the final 747-8 model that was launched in 2005; across all the models, the jet has delivered unmatched operating economics and efficiency to travel and air cargo markets, Boeing said.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defence products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

The group delivered 480 commercial airplanes and recorded 808 net orders in 2022. The total company backlog grew to $404 billion, including over 4,500 commercial airplanes, it said.