Boeing 747s are back from the dead

Demand is strongest for used 747s originally built as freighters, since they have hinged noses that flip open to load oversize cargo such as oil-drilling equipment

A funny thing happened to an older generation of Boeing Co 747 jumbo jets on their way to dusty oblivion in desert parking lots.

Instead of being scrapped, the humpbacked planes are back in demand as workhorses of global shipping. Booming trade is stoking the need for big, long-range jets to haul time-sensitive goods, from Apple Inc iPhones made in China to fresh flowers grown in Latin America.

Interest in Boeing’s 747-400 freighter family was already rebounding last year, even as Delta Air Lines and United Continental Holdings  hosted nostalgic farewell tours to mark the end of US passenger service