It has now been well over half a century since the Boeing 747 entered service, with the type’s introduction in the early 1970s marking a milestone in terms of 20th-century long-haul aviation. The ‘jumbo jet’ brought the world closer together while lowering per-seat costs thanks to its high capacity, with the double-decker quadjet’s humped fuselage making it among the most distinctive airliners of its era.