unusual planes going to unusual places

[mga707]

When an airline adds a new fleet type to the company they have to have proving runs to show the FAA they can operate the plane safely.

When NW became the first airline in the world to place the 747-400 into service in February 1989, the first route it operated with the new type was not MSP-NRT or something similar but rather MSP-PHX.
The above is why.