Under scrutinyA closer look at the Boeing 747April 9, 1998Web posted at: 2:17 p.m. EST (1917 GMT) (CNN) -- Recently, the safety of the Boeing 747 has been called into question. The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday recommended mandatory inspections and rewiring of the fuel tanks in hundreds of older Boeing 747 jets in response to faults found in the wreckage of TWA Flight 800 and on other aircraft. Just what is a 747 -- and how can you know if your next flight is on one? The 747 is distinctive for its big hump at the front of the plane and its two-story cabin. Also called a "jumbo jet," it can carry up to 400 passengers. It has been in the air for a while. "The 747 alone has logged well over 20 billion miles and has flown a quarter of the world's population," says Boeing representative Doug Webb.
"The 747 has been the workhorse and a real favorite of business travelers." But now, the only time you are likely to fly on a Boeing 747 is if you are a passenger on an international carrier. "The only place you'll see a domestic 747 is on a transcontinental route," says Chris McGinnis, CNN's Business Travel consultant. Some U.S. carriers use the 747. However, there appears to be a move away from the planes. United Airlines has 47 of the jumbo jets, Northwest operates 41, Continental has just 3 and American Airlines, Delta and U.S. Airways don't have a single 747 among their fleets. TWA says that it retired all of its 747s last year.
"The 747 has been the workhorse and a real favorite of business travelers" due to its spaciousness, says McGinnis. But Boeing's new jumbo jet, the 777, is eclipsing the 747 as the favorite aircraft for international trips. How to check before you flyIf you want to know what kind of plane you'll be flying before you get to the airport, airlines or travel agents can tell you the make and model when you make your reservation. The data is also available on most travel reservations sites on the Internet. The Federal Aviation Administration is the best source for safety records. Its Web site lists safety related incidents and accidents for all plane models. Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET). 
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