Japan to bid farewell to 747 \\\'jumbo\\\'

Japanese plane buffs will say a fond farewell to the "jumbo jet" this month as the Boeing 747 makes its final scheduled flight in the country. The two-deck carrier, loved for its broad-shouldered look, will ferry holiday-makers and aviation enthusiasts on an All Nippon Airways flight from Naha, in Okinawa, to Tokyo's Haneda airport on March 31. The jumbo jet -- 70 metres (229 feet) long and 60 metres wide -- was first introduced to the country by Japan Airlines (JAL) in 1970 and became a workhorse on both domestic and international routes. At one time Japanese airlines owned more than 120 of them, each capable of carrying over 500 passengers, according to AFP.