robertw

BA and AirFrance announced today they are gradually phasing out Concorde supersonic flights. This is truly a sad day - the supersonic experience and royal treatment that one received on this remarkable aircraft is amazing.

I have never flown on the Concorde but one of my travel dreams was to eventually fly across the Atlantic in true rock star style. Anyone out there ever flown Concorde? Are other people as sad as I am about this?

P.S.: I also hear Virgin is considering buying the Concorde fleet so to keep these miracle crafts in the air. Everyone email or write Virgin and beg them to!

soccr

Having been there when the Concorde first took off from Dulles, I've always had seriously mixed feelings about it. It looked so majestic in a surreal sort of way (odd nose), and I imagined it represented the height of wealth and privilege UNTIL I heard that it was cramped and so fast that food service had to be abbreviated and that going through the sound barrier and back was jarring. It also never seemed to make much sense to me once computers could make instantaneous transactions more possible, since getting people to Europe a couple of hours more quickly never seemed quite worth the money. A great romantic thing -- to "pop" over to Paris for dinner, but for how many people, how often in their lives?

Still, it captures the imagination, and I'd love to hear from anyone who has actually flown on it -- any memoirs -- and even more, love to hear from anyone planning to be one of the last few passengers!

"Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?"

OliveOyl

Not me, but our best friend and his wife were given a trip to England (where both were from) on the Concorde with return trip on the QEII on his retirement, compliments of the small hotel company where he was an officer. Happily, they are the most down-to-earth folks imaginable and this was only a small blip in their lives--they could have (almost) as happily ridden coach, as they do today when they come to visit. They did say the seats were uncomfortably crowded, but the meal fabulous with Moet the entire trip if desired.

AAFrequentFlyer

I had a chance to fly one-way from JFK-LHR, and I loved the experience of flying at 60K feet above earth and actually seeing the curvature of our planet. This was probably my best chance at "space" flight, that I will ever have. The windows do get warm to your touch from the friction. I was not impressed with comfort, but the service was first class all the way, and the Concorde Lounge was great, it actually had a jetway to the plane from the lounge. The seats and decor had that 70's feel and comfort to them, but it was ok for a 3.5 hour flight. They would not be even close to the First or Business class seats on a subsonic plane in todays world, maybe not even equal to coach in some instances.
Overall, a great experience, but for me at least, a one time deal. I will take F on BA,CX,AA any day.

travleis

The Concordes were the gold standard for luxury...when they first arrived in 1969.
But the seats are/were almost as small as today's standard coach seats, no video, no phones. And VERY loud. 1960's technology for the most part.
Speed, service and image were what kept the Concordes flying.

AAFrequentFlyer

Thr maiden flight was un 1969, but it did not fly commercially till 1976.

wantsomesun

Considering that the Concorde looses money annually and I mean alot of money, it makes sense in today's world to stop flying them. I would bet that some will be available to be chartered.

Virgin buying them probably will be for charter or special flights.

I still love to see them take off from JFK, but the noise is deafening, so much louder than any other aircraft. YOu immediately know it's Concorde with having to look.

One remarkable old lady who needs retirement. (Mmmmmm sounds like me, lol)

LilMsFoodie

My husband and I had a return trip on the Concorde from Paris to Dulles (I think) quite some time ago. Late 80's. Since I sleep on long flights the time saved was lost on me.

The interior on those planes is small. A little narrow tube. Spam in a can, I thought when we were all seated. I had my champagne, (they served Veuve which I appreciated as always) and enjoyed the take off and feeling of going to Mach whatever it flies at and went to sleep. My husband hated the cramped flight and we returned to flying business class on SAS or British Air or buying a third seat in coach and not spending the money on the Concorde.

FWIW, most of the people on the plane were business people whose companies felt their time was worth the premium. We had no celebrities on our flight. LMF

LT

Just read this on Virgin Atlantic's website:

SIR RICHARD BRANSON STATEMENT ON CONCORDE

Sir Richard Branson commented;
“Since the British Airways’ announcement this morning we have been flooded with calls from the public, including BA staff, asking us to see if we can keep Concorde flying.

“When the Conservative government gave British Airways Concorde for £1 they said that if another British company ever wanted to operate it they could. As a result of the public’s response today I will be asking British Airways to provide me with the full operating figures.”

“If having examined the figures Virgin Atlantic, with its lower cost base, believes it can make a success of it we will be asking British Airways to give us the planes for the same price that they were given them for (£1) together with the slots and other facilities that they use.

“This might come to nothing but I believe that every effort should be made to keep Concorde flying as it is such an important symbol of British innovation.”

HOORAY!!!! GO RICHARD!!!!!!!

Dan

BA will scrap the planes before they give them to Virgin Atlantic!

rjw_lgb_ca

The British government might consider Branson's request if only for some vague notion of preserving British prestige in aviation history. Concorde was, for many years, a shining triumph after the disaster of the DeHavilland Comet, which set back British aviation years and allowed Boeing to become the world's pre-eminent commercial airliner manufacturer in the 1960s. Of course, Britain's BAC can only take part of the credit, as France's Sud Aviation contributed quite a bit to Concorde. Neither manufacturer could have built it alone.

I fear that Concorde's economics will doom it-- again. These are aging airframes that will require more and more ongoing maintenance to keep them flying. There are still questions as to how they will outsource spare parts (especially with wing components falling off Concordes every so often). Eventually, they will simply poop out, too old and tired to continue flying. And what if unforeseen wear-and-tear happens in-flight? Remember that old 737-200 that ripped itself into a convertible over Maui? They managed to land it with only one fatality. Can Concorde handle a catastrophic depressurization failure at speed?

SaraL

A few weeks ago BA said they would never sell them to another company, they would only give them to museums.
Where would the Air and Space Museum put it? In the middle of the Mall!

ilisa

Air and Space would put a Concorde, if given the opportunity, at their new facility out at Dulles Airport. The museum already has a space shuttle, 747, and SR-71 for the annex; they can certainly fit a Concorde.

SaraL

Yeah you are right. I knew they had a space shuttle, but not the others, they will have no problems with concorde then.

They should keep one a Heathrow so people could look around it after they got bored at the tax free shops - but they would probably charge about 15GBP (the going rate for attractions in London) to look around - better off sending it to Washington at least it would be free there.

FranT

Concorde is without doubt the sexiest flying experience. Who cares about the 37in seat pitch when flying at 1360mph at 54,000 feet with the darkness of space above and the curve of the earth below. It was my life's ambition to fly in Concorde and when I did - it did not disappoint on any level. We live in London under Concorde's flight path and I still get excited when it goes over. I am very sad about its forthcoming demise.