Why American Airlines' COVID-Retired Widebodies Sat In Roswell For 5 Years Before Vietnam Came Calling

American Airlines’ widebody aircraft parking at Roswell International Air Center during the COVID-19 era proved more complex than some observers expected. Despite assumptions that the desert site housed Boeing 747 “jumbos,” the article says American instead stored Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s there, noting that its last standard 747 exited service in 1985 and its two 747SP models were retired by 1992. It also frames the Roswell case as distinct from 747-heavy boneyards such as KLM Royal Dutch, Qantas, and British Airways. Some of the parked widebodies have already been redeployed, with 767s converted into freighters. The article adds that eight former American A330 aircraft are scheduled to join Vietnam’s Sun PhuQuoc in 2026. It concludes by focusing on which remaining widebodies left the desert and which may stay there longer-term.