British Airways sells luggage made with parts of retired Boeing 747s

The 150 limited-edition trolley bags retail at nearly £2,000 each

The BOAC Speedbird suitcase contains a fragment of a retired jumbo jet and retails for £1,935. Courtesy British Airways

Aviation fans with money to spend, take note – British Airways has designed a limited-edition range of luggage crafted from decommissioned Boeing 747s.

Partnering with luxury luggage brand Globe-Trotter, the British airline has created the carry-on bags to mark the retirement of its 747 fleet.

Taking inspiration from the airline's famed BOAC livery, the BOAC Speedbird suitcases are handmade in England and incorporate the 'Gold Speedbird' insignia.

Inside, nestled among fabric printed with a jumbo jet pattern, is a fragment from one of BA's retired 747 aircraft.

The 20-inch trolley cases are crafted from vulcanised white fibreboard with a navy leather trim on the corners and handles.

Limited to 150 pieces, each retails for £1,935 ($2,646) on the Globe-Trotter website, and are on sale now for dispatch on Monday, February 1. This practical piece of aviation history can also be personalised with initials of the buyers' choice for an additional $171.

BA also auctioned two of the limited-edition carry-on bags to raise money for the airline's global charity partnership with Comic Relief, a UK charity.

The bags were the only luggage on BA's final 747 flight, which took to the sky on December 11, 2020. Closing an era of flying,  the heritage-liveried jumbo jet flew the short distance from Cardiff Airport to its new permanent home in St Athan, South Wales. The bags were also signed by the flight’s captain, Richard Allen-Williams.

Bids for each collectors item started at $2,738 each, with final prices settling at more than $5,475 a piece.

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