When airlines retire old planes from their fleets, they have several options for how to handle getting rid of them. Here are some of the main things airlines do with old planes once they are no longer in service:
Sell to Other Airlines
One of the most common things airlines do with old planes is sell them to other airlines that are looking to buy used aircraft. Large airlines routinely sell their retired planes to smaller carriers, particularly ones in developing countries. This allows the buying airlines to acquire planes for less money than new models would cost. It’s an affordable way for them to expand or upgrade their fleets. The selling airline also benefits by recouping some of the plane’s residual value.
Sell for Parts
Another option is to sell the retired planes to aircraft parts and component dealers. There is a thriving global marketplace for used aircraft parts, which are valuable for repairing and maintaining planes still in service. Parts like engines, avionics, landing gear and others can be reclaimed from retired aircraft and sold to other parties. This allows the airline to make back a bit more money from the plane’s parts and components before the entire aircraft is scrapped.
Sell to Cargo Airlines
Some cargo and package carriers will purchase old passenger planes to convert into freighter aircraft. While the passenger cabins and amenities are stripped out, the basic airframe is still useful for hauling cargo. Boeing 747s, in particular, are popular models for cargo conversions. Airlines like FedEx and UPS will sometimes buy up retired 747s to add to their all-cargo fleets after modifying them. This extends the usable service life of the planes for another decade or more as freighters.
Donate to Schools
A small number of retired airliners end up being donated to aviation maintenance schools. Airline maintenance training programs will sometimes acquire old planes for students to practice working on. This provides a real-world training experience on aircraft models the students might eventually encounter when working for airlines. These school “project planes” are typically not airworthy and are strictly for ground training use.
Sell for Scrap
If no other buyers emerge, airlines will eventually sell off old planes for scrap metal. Salvage companies will purchase retired aircraft and tear them apart, recycling their metal components. While this earns the airline minimal money compared to other resale options, scrap sales allow the airline to at least recoup a small amount at the end of a plane’s useful lifetime. This removes the cost of disposing the aircraft.
Use as Spare Parts
Airlines that operate large fleets of the same aircraft model will often keep a few retired planes from that model in long-term storage. They do this so they have a supply of spare parts readily available if needed for their other active aircraft of that type. These retired planes are picked over for usable components until they are empty shells. The spare parts inventory directly supports the airline’s maintenance operations.
Conversion into Private Jets
Some retired airliners get turned into private corporate jets for high net worth individuals or heads of state. Companies like Boeing Business Jets will gut and rebuild select aircraft models into luxurious flying boardrooms. The passenger cabins are completely redesigned into spacious executive offices and conference areas. All new interior furnishings and amenities are installed to a custom configuration. These “bizliner” conversions can cost tens of millions of dollars.
Use as Test Aircraft
Aircraft manufacturers will occasionally purchase back old retired planes from airlines to use in testing and development programs. These planes are flown on test flights to trial out new engines, avionics systems and other technology upgrades. The data collected informs the design of future models. The extensive flight testing provides real-world validation before the new systems go into production on new aircraft.
Permanent Museum Display
Some iconic aircraft models end up being acquired by museums for permanent public display after retirement. Museums like the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum seek out landmark planes for historic preservation. Airlines will sometimes donate the planes. Other times museums will purchase them and restore them to like-new condition for exhibit in perpetuity. This preserves aviation history for future generations.
Temporary Storage
Rather than immediately disposing of retired planes, some airlines will place them into temporary storage. This could be short-term parking that lasts a couple years. Or the planes could remain in long-term storage for over a decade before their ultimate fate is decided. Airlines maintain desert boneyards for storing dozens of parked planes that could potentially fly again one day if more capacity is needed.
Conclusion
When an aircraft reaches the end of its economic service life, airlines have a variety of options for how to handle removing it from their fleet. While some planes meet an immediate end in the salvage yard, many go on to extended careers in cargo or private aviation. Others help train the next generation of mechanics and pilots. At the end of every flight, an old plane still has some miles left to go before it takes the final journey to the recycling facility.