Which airline was the launch customer for the Boeing 747-400, entering service with the type in 1989?

Northwest Airlines was the launch customer for the Boeing 747-400, introducing the aircraft into commercial service in 1989.

The airline placed the 747-400 on scheduled passenger routes after receiving the first aircraft in 1989. The model was a major development of the 747, adding a two-person flight deck, improved engines, a longer range, and distinctive upward-curved winglets.

Northwest had a long history with Boeing wide-body aircraft and became one of the type’s most recognizable operators. Its 747-400 fleet supported extensive transpacific and other long-haul services.

This milestone is separate from the original Boeing 747 launch. Pan Am introduced the first 747-100 in 1970, while Northwest launched the substantially updated 747-400 nearly two decades later. Northwest later merged with Delta Air Lines in 2010.