Although Eastern Air Lines had the honor of operating the very first Boeing 757 flight, the first to operate it in Europe was British Airways. On this day 40 years ago - February 9th, 1983 - the British flag carrier launched its first flight with the Boeing narrowbody, using it first for its London to Belfast shuttle service, usurping the Hawker Siddeley Trident from the route.

Over the next two decades, BA would induct a further 53 of the jets into its fleet, according to information from ch-aviation.com. By the autumn of 2010, the Boeing 757 had been phased out. The very last revenue flight with the type landed in London on October 30th from Edinburgh, bringing to a close 27 years of service.

But where did those 757s go, and are any still around today?

Inducting the 757

When BA was formed in 1974 through the merger of BOAC and BEA, its aircraft were largely UK-built. However, it did inherit Boeing designs in the form of the 707 and 747. It began flying the 737 in the late-1970s, with the 757 becoming the fourth Boeing model to enter the fleet shortly after. Specifically, the first example, G-BIKB, arrived on January 25th, 1983.

1983 proved a busy year for 757 deliveries at the airline, with eight coming onboard. By the end of the 1980s, BA had received a total of 35 757-200s. The remaining examples joined the carrier throughout the 1990s, with the final arrival being G-CPEV, on June 11th, 1999.

Saying goodbye

In terms of when BA's 757s left the airline, there is one outlier that departed considerably earlier than its classmates. This was G-BKRM, which spent two lease periods at BA from Gatwick-based carrier Air Europe. The second of these short-term leases concluded in 1987.

The rest of BA's fleet left the airline in the 2000s. Certain examples had already come and gone multiple times on different leases, but, in terms of final departures from the fleet, this was the decade when it all happened. They would all be gone within ten years.

The first year of the new millennium saw five 757s leave BA's fleet, but the exodus ramped up significantly in 2001. Indeed, the following year saw a total of 18 757 departures. 2002 was nearly as busy on this front, with 15 further 757s leaving the fleet. Things quietened down after this, but the departures continued, until BA operated its final 757 flight in 2010.

Where are they now?

With many of these aircraft well over 30 years old, it's not surprising to see that a large number have been scrapped. Ch-aviation lists a total of 30 out of the original 54 as having reached 'end of life' status, meaning they have been physically broken down for parts.

But that still leaves 24 that are, apparently, in one piece. The oldest of these is G-BKRM, originally delivered to BA in March 1983. It has spent its post-British Airways life with various operators, including Air 2000, Nationair Canada, Star Air Tours, and others, and is currently listed as on the market, under the control of Juliet Romeo Aviation, wearing tail number N757SS.

Five more 1980's models remain unbroken, for now. G-BMRA retains its original registration and flies cargo for DHL, as does G-BMRB, BMRD and BMRJ. G-BMRI has been with other airlines under different registrations, but returned to its original tail number in 2014 and is also in use with DHL.

Of the other survivors, all but two have found similar uses with cargo operators. The majority are regularly flying with FedEx Express, and one with Chinese logistics company SF Express.

Just two remain in passenger configuration. The first is G-BPEJ, which has found a home with Equatorial Congo Airlines under tail number TN-AJR. Despite the company taking ownership in 2018, the plane has been stored at Addis Ababa since then, although it has had the full EC Air livery applied.

If, for some reason, you have a burning desire to fly an ex-Britsh Airways Boeing 757 today, there seem to be no choices left. The second passenger variant, G-BPEK, was transferred to Cabo Verde Airlines in 2018, and despite moving to the Icelandic register as TF-LLV in 2021, has not flown for its current owner, Icelandair. In fact, data suggests it is stored at Miami Opa-Locka Executive (OPF), awaiting scrapping.

Although the passenger days for BA's 757s are over, the staying power as converted freighters is impressive. So next time you get your overseas parcel from FedEx or DHL, just think - it might have arrived on an ex-British Airways 757.

Did you ever fly on one of British Airways' Boeing 757s? Let us know your thoughts and memories in the comments.