Air India’s four remaining Boeing 747-400s were reported sold to US aftermarket aviation company AerSale in April 2024. The aircraft—VT-ESO, VT-ESP, VT-EVA and VT-EVB—were built between 1993 and 1996. Reports said two were expected to be converted to freighters and two parted out, but did not identify which aircraft would follow each path. The claim that they were “over 25 years” old refers to their age in 2024, not to a sale campaign lasting 25 years.
Who bought Air India’s last four 747s?
The Economic Times reported on April 18, 2024, citing people familiar with the matter, that AerSale had bought the four aircraft. It described AerSale as a supplier of aftermarket commercial jet engines and parts. Airport Technology subsequently reported that Skytech-AIC marketed and sold the aircraft, with Vman Aviation Services managing the transfer, according to The Economic Times. Neither source was a direct sale announcement from Air India or AerSale, so the buyer and transaction details are best described as reported rather than independently confirmed by either company.
Skytech-AIC’s role is documented in its own November 21, 2022 announcement: Air India appointed the UK-based company to market four Boeing 747-400s for outright sale. The aircraft had Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines and were built between 1993 and 1996. That appointment establishes a marketing process beginning in 2022; it does not establish a 25-year campaign.
Which aircraft were included?
| Registration | Build year | Manufacturer serial number |
|---|---|---|
| VT-ESO | 1993 | 27165 |
| VT-ESP | 1994 | 27214 |
| VT-EVA | 1996 | 28094 |
| VT-EVB | 1996 | 28095 |
These identities and serial numbers were reported by ch-aviation; Airport Technology also listed Pratt & Whitney PW4056-3 engines for the four airframes. ch-aviation reported that the aircraft were stored at Mumbai and that, as of the week before its report, one had been sold while agreements for the other three were not finalized. That status is a reminder that the transaction was not necessarily completed for all four at the same time.
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What was expected to happen to the 747s?
Reports described two expected outcomes: conversion of two aircraft into freighters and part-out of the other two. A freighter conversion would keep an airframe in operational service in a cargo role; part-out means recovering usable components rather than continuing to fly the aircraft. The reporting did not specify which registration was assigned to either outcome, and it did not establish the final disposition of each airframe.
Skytech-AIC published a later notice on October 24, 2025, saying it had completed a sale on Air India’s behalf involving one 747-400 and 13 Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines. The notice did not name the aircraft or buyer. It therefore cannot, on its own, be treated as confirmation that all four aircraft in the 2024 reports had reached their final disposition.
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Why did Air India sell its 747-400s?
The material reported about the sale does not give a specific reason from Air India, nor does it provide a sale price. It establishes that the aircraft were more than 25 years old in 2024 and that the airline had stopped flying 747s in March 2021, as reported by The Economic Times. Those facts provide context for the sale, but they should not be presented as a stated explanation by the airline.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What role did the 747 play in Air India’s history?
The Economic Times reported that Air India received its first Boeing 747 on March 22, 1971, and put it into service on May 21 that year, initially on a route between India and London. The article described the aircraft as having 423 seats in a three-class configuration. It also reported that Air India’s last 747 flight was between Delhi and Mumbai in March 2021.
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The same article said Air India used 747s to transport India’s prime minister, president and vice-president until the Indian Air Force acquired two Boeing 777s in 2020. These are historical details as reported by The Economic Times, rather than a new fleet-record verification.
Quick Recap
Sources
- The Economic Times: Air India’s reported sale and 747 history
- Airport Technology: reported sale route and aircraft details
- Skytech-AIC: 2022 marketing appointment
- ch-aviation: aircraft identities and contemporaneous sale status
- Skytech-AIC: 2025 sale-completion notice
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