An English design company is turning retired Boeing 747 planes into things like cocktail tables, clocks, and wall art — take a look at Aerotiques

Taylor RainsMar 13, 2022, 17:43 IST

Courtesy of Aerotiques

Aerotiques is an English design company that turns retired Boeing 747 planes into household items.
The company has a team of four that creates collectibles like clocks, a cocktail bar, and bag tags.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the retirement of many beloved commercial aircraft, like the Airbus A380, the Boeing 747, and the Boeing 777.

The final Airbus A380 bound for Emirates.Airbus-Lutz Borck

The Boeing 747, in particular, is an iconic jet that revolutionized air travel by making long-haul flying affordable for the first time.

KLM Boeing 747.Angel Di Bilio via Getty Images

Airlines could cut fares by packing over 300 passengers in the double-decker plane, which had the lowest seat-mile cost in the industry at the time. The world's first Queen of the Skies flew in 1970 with Pan Am.

First Pan Am 747 in London after its maiden flight.-/AFP via Getty Images

Airlines could cut fares by packing over 300 passengers in the double-decker plane, which had the lowest seat-mile cost in the industry at the time. The world's first Queen of the Skies flew in 1970 with Pan Am.

However, the pandemic has forced carriers to send the jumbo to the junkyard. Among them: British Airways…

British Airways Boeing 747.Jed Leicester/Shutterstock

…Qantas…

Qantas 747.REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

…and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Virgin Atlantic Airways 747.Virgin Atlantic Airways

Nevertheless, several companies have found unique ways to keep the plane's legacy alive.

Delta Flight Museum 747.Delta Air Lines

In February, Cotswold Airport in England opened its "party plane," which is a converted British Airways 747 that costs £1,000 ($1,310) per hour to rent.

Boeing 747 "party plane."Cotswold Airport

The flightless Queen of the Skies has been renovated into an event space, complete with a dance floor, DJ, galley bar, and strobe lights.

Boeing 747 "party plane."Cotswold Airport

Several other organizations have also repurposed the mammoth jet, like Dive Bahrain's sunken 747 for diving tourism…

Boeing 747 sunken off the coast of Bahrain.Dive Bahrain

…and Sweden's Jumbo Stay hotel that features rooms in the engines and wheelhouse.

Jumbo Stay 747 cockpit room.Edwin Remsberg / VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

While many entities are keeping the planes intact, one company has gone in a different direction.

Aerotiques sculpture in front of a British Airways 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

English design company Aerotiques buys old 747 aircraft sections from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic and turns the metal into collectibles like clocks, tables, and cufflinks.

Aerotiques 747 window panel.Courtesy of Aerotiques

English design company Aerotiques buys old 747 aircraft sections from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic and turns the metal into collectibles like clocks, tables, and cufflinks.

According to cofounder Darren Lewington, the business was started with the propeller from a Beechcraft plane.

Cirrus SR20 propellers (not from the Beechcraft).Courtesy of Aerotiques

"I was eyeing the old propeller for a while thinking I could polish it up and hang it in the office, but a few months later the spinner was gone," he explained. "Turns out, one of our maintenance workers, who is also named Darren, had done what I wanted to do for years."

Aerotiques inventory.Courtesy of Aerotiques

"I was eyeing the old propeller for a while thinking I could polish it up and hang it in the office, but a few months later the spinner was gone," he explained. "Turns out, one of our maintenance workers, who is also named Darren, had done what I wanted to do for years."

The propeller was the first piece of a now successful small business that ships unique 747 memorabilia to all corners of the globe.

Courtesy of Aerotiques

The company has a team of four that design and hand-build each piece, Lewington told Insider. The process includes sawing the needed parts, which typically come from the aft fuselage or first class sections, and sculpting them into what the customer wants.

Aerotiques designers.Courtesy of Aerotiques

The company has a team of four that design and hand-build each piece, Lewington told Insider. The process includes sawing the needed parts, which typically come from the aft fuselage or first class sections, and sculpting them into what the customer wants.

"We sometimes get specific requests," he explained. "Once, we had a client who asked for the window from row 64K from a 747 they flew to New York."

Stripping a British Airways 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

The clocks are one of the most popular products made by Aerotiques, which can be mounted on walls…

Courtesy of Aerotiques

…or stood upright.

Courtesy of Aerotiques

However, the company creates dozens of other aircraft memorabilia from the 747 and different airplane types, like wine bottle holders...

Wine rack made out of a Piper rudder.Courtesy of Aerotiques

...coffee tables...

Table from a 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

...cocktail tables...

Table from a 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

…window panels…

Window panels from 747s.Courtesy of Aerotiques

…and a specially made conference table made from a Boeing Stearman plane.

Aerotiques Boeing Stearman table.Courtesy of Aerotiques

Nothing goes to waste, he said, so small pieces are turned into things like bag tags...

Bag tags from 747s.Courtesy of Aerotiques

...cufflinks...

Cufflinks from 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

...bracelets...

Bracelet from 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

...and keychains.

Keychain from 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

Lewington told Insider that he is most proud of the work his company does to create items that tell a story.

Aerotiques shop in England.Courtesy of Aerotiques

"It's been fascinating hearing people's stories about their time on the jumbo," he said. "There have been people who've been on the holiday of a lifetime, lots of honeymoon trips, last flights, and first flights."

Stripping a Virgin Atlantic 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

"It's been fascinating hearing people's stories about their time on the jumbo," he said. "There have been people who've been on the holiday of a lifetime, lots of honeymoon trips, last flights, and first flights."

For example, a couple who met on a specific British Airways 747 flight now lives in Malta with their children and Lewington's company created a piece from the exact 747 for their home's study.

Aerotiques clock (not the couple's clock).Courtesy of Aerotiques

For example, a couple who met on a specific British Airways 747 flight now lives in Malta with their children and Lewington's company created a piece from the exact 747 for their home's study.

Since the pandemic, Lewington said the company's turnover has quadrupled, with customers coming from word-of-mouth.

Stripping a Boeing 747.Courtesy of Aerotiques

"I thought when the pandemic hit that we would have a tough time," he told Insider. "However, we found that people who had disposable income because they weren't going out to eat or going on holiday would instead used the money to buy a little piece of history."

Courtesy of Aerotiques

"I thought when the pandemic hit that we would have a tough time," he told Insider. "However, we found that people who had disposable income because they weren't going out to eat or going on holiday would instead used the money to buy a little piece of history."

I brought my family to Disney World the week they dropped mask mandates. I thought the crowds were alarming but I don't regret going.

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An English design company is turning retired Boeing 747 planes into things like cocktail tables, clocks, and wall art &mdash; take a look at Aerotiques

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the retirement of many beloved commercial aircraft, like the Airbus A380, the Boeing 747, and the Boeing 777.

The Boeing 747, in particular, is an iconic jet that revolutionized air travel by making long-haul flying affordable for the first time.

Airlines could cut fares by packing over 300 passengers in the double-decker plane, which had the lowest seat-mile cost in the industry at the time. The world's first Queen of the Skies flew in 1970 with Pan Am.

However, the pandemic has forced carriers to send the jumbo to the junkyard. Among them: British Airways…

…Qantas…

…and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Nevertheless, several companies have found unique ways to keep the plane's legacy alive.

In February, Cotswold Airport in England opened its "party plane," which is a converted British Airways 747 that costs £1,000 ($1,310) per hour to rent.

The flightless Queen of the Skies has been renovated into an event space, complete with a dance floor, DJ, galley bar, and strobe lights.

Several other organizations have also repurposed the mammoth jet, like Dive Bahrain's sunken 747 for diving tourism…

…and Sweden's Jumbo Stay hotel that features rooms in the engines and wheelhouse.

While many entities are keeping the planes intact, one company has gone in a different direction.

English design company Aerotiques buys old 747 aircraft sections from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic and turns the metal into collectibles like clocks, tables, and cufflinks.

According to cofounder Darren Lewington, the business was started with the propeller from a Beechcraft plane.

"I was eyeing the old propeller for a while thinking I could polish it up and hang it in the office, but a few months later the spinner was gone," he explained. "Turns out, one of our maintenance workers, who is also named Darren, had done what I wanted to do for years."

The propeller was the first piece of a now successful small business that ships unique 747 memorabilia to all corners of the globe.

The company has a team of four that design and hand-build each piece, Lewington told Insider. The process includes sawing the needed parts, which typically come from the aft fuselage or first class sections, and sculpting them into what the customer wants.

"We sometimes get specific requests," he explained. "Once, we had a client who asked for the window from row 64K from a 747 they flew to New York."

The clocks are one of the most popular products made by Aerotiques, which can be mounted on walls…

…or stood upright.

However, the company creates dozens of other aircraft memorabilia from the 747 and different airplane types, like wine bottle holders...

...coffee tables...

...cocktail tables...

…window panels…

…and a specially made conference table made from a Boeing Stearman plane.

Nothing goes to waste, he said, so small pieces are turned into things like bag tags...

...cufflinks...

...bracelets...

...and keychains.

Lewington told Insider that he is most proud of the work his company does to create items that tell a story.

"It's been fascinating hearing people's stories about their time on the jumbo," he said. "There have been people who've been on the holiday of a lifetime, lots of honeymoon trips, last flights, and first flights."

For example, a couple who met on a specific British Airways 747 flight now lives in Malta with their children and Lewington's company created a piece from the exact 747 for their home's study.

Since the pandemic, Lewington said the company's turnover has quadrupled, with customers coming from word-of-mouth.

"I thought when the pandemic hit that we would have a tough time," he told Insider. "However, we found that people who had disposable income because they weren't going out to eat or going on holiday would instead used the money to buy a little piece of history."

An English design company is turning retired Boeing 747 planes into things like cocktail tables, clocks, and wall art — take a look at Aerotiques