See 6 repurposed Boeing 747s with unusual second lives, from a Swedish hotel to a scuba site in Bahrain
Retired Boeing 747 aircraft are finding unique second lives as hotels, event spaces, and scuba diving attractions. While the iconic 'Queen of the Skies' is being phased out by airlines for more efficient twin-engine jets, these repurposed planes preserve the legacy of the jumbo jet.
Why it matters
This highlights the intersection of aviation history and sustainable repurposing of industrial assets as the airline industry shifts toward more efficient technology.
The 747 hotel in Sweden had a room in the cockpit. : Edwin Remsberg / VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images A handful of retired Boeing 747 airliners have been given a second life. An ex-passenger 747 was turned into a hotel in Sweden, while another is a dive site in Bahrain. The superjumbo is a rarity these days as airlines replace them with newer twin-engine widebodies. You don't need a plane ticket to experience one of the most iconic — and quickly disappearing — passenger planes. From a Swedish hotel to a manmade scuba site in Bahrain, retired Boeing 747s have been given unique second lives around the world. The powerhouse quad-jet was introduced in the 1970s, with its double-decker cabin to accommodate booming demand for air travel and make fares more affordable for middle-class travelers.
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