AGE OF THE JUMBO JETS
The 1970s began in high style with the introduction of the "Jumbo Jet". Delta introduced Boeing 747 service on October 25, 1970 between Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. Unlike any airliner before it, the 747 featured two aisles, two levels, and cabins as wide as a living room.
Below is Delta's first Boeing 747 at concourse E shortly after its delivery flight on October 2, 1970. Five decades later, the sheer enormity of this aircraft is still stunning and in this photo it dwarfs everything around it.
Below is Delta's first Boeing 747 at concourse E shortly after its delivery flight on October 2, 1970. Five decades later, the sheer enormity of this aircraft is still stunning and in this photo it dwarfs everything around it.
Delta operated a total of five 747s between 1970 and 1977. They proved to be too large and uneconomical for Delta's relatively short route segments and high frequency flights and were returned to Boeing beginning in 1974. Ironically, the last 747 left the fleet only months before the airline was awarded the Atlanta - London route and Delta was forced to lease two long range L-1011s from TWA in order to operate the flights. Below: A Delta 747 is seen through the windows of the concourse E rotunda. Photo credit: Delta Flight Museum.
Delta was the first airline to operate all three types of first generation widebody jumbo jets at the same time: the 747, the Lockheed L-1011 and the Douglas DC-10, pictured here. The airline operated a total of 5 DC-10s between 1972 and 1975 while awaiting delivery of the L-1011s. The Pan Am 747 seen here was operating interchange flights to Europe. In this 1972 shot, Delta was in the process of enlarging their gates to accommodate the widebody jets and the increasing number of passengers carried per flight.
Eastern also operated several 747s but, like Delta, disposed of them in favor of smaller widebody L-1011 Tristars. Photo credit: Art Brett.