Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic airliner that is the flagship of British Airways and Air France, could become a victim of the current economic downturn. Almost exactly 34 years after its first flight and less than 18 months since the aircraft returned to service after being grounded following the July 25, 2000 accident in Paris, British Airways confirmed that it is reviewing Concorde’s future.
Under a continuing analysis of equipment, markets and routes, the European major said in late February, “We are looking at when Concorde should retire as part of an on going review, but we have taken no decisions.” The SST is particularly vulnerable because almost all of its business is on North Atlantic services that have been hardest hit by the current depression in high-yield business traffic. BA has confirmed that Concorde’s commercial performance is under scrutiny. “It is primarily a business tool since 80 percent of passengers are business people, and when the market is tough Concorde comes under pressure. We are looking at the cost base of the business,” the airline explained.
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