Manchester (Agencies): The UK bid farewell to Boeing 757 passenger services after 42 years, as British low-cost carrier Jet2 operated the nation’s last commercial flight on the iconic aircraft. The final rotation from Manchester to Geneva on Sunday, January 5, 2025, marked the end of an era for the twin-engine narrowbody, which has been a mainstay of British aviation since the early 1980s.
The historic flight was carried out by a 37.3-year-old Boeing 757-200, registered G-LSAI. Departing Manchester at 10:05, the aircraft landed in Geneva at 12:40 local time before returning to Manchester at 15:24, completing the final chapter of passenger operations for the 757 in the UK.
Jet2, the UK’s third-largest airline and leading tour operator, began 2024 with eight 757s in its fleet. The aircraft were gradually phased out over the year, with G-LSAE retired to St Athan Airport for dismantling on January 2. The penultimate airframe, G-LSAK, completed its final flight on January 4, leaving G-LSAI to perform the last passenger service.
First introduced by British Airways in 1983, the Boeing 757 has been instrumental in shaping the UK’s short- and medium-haul travel market. Its retirement signals the end of one of the longest-serving commercial aircraft types in British aviation history.