Mon, May 05, 2003
Move Over Branson, Someone Else Wants BA's Concordes
To our knowledge, the
Concorde never made a flight to Kalamazoo (MI). But, if the
Aviation History Museum has its way, that may change. And, boy,
will Richard Branson be mad.
The request from the Michigan museum, along with a similar
request from Seattle's Museum of flight, are among some 300
inquiries to British Airways from around the world, most of which
ask, "Say, what're you going to do with those Concordes after
they're retired"
The New York Post reports suggestions have ranged from
turning the Concordes into restaurants, wedding chapels, props for
music videos and "hiring them for the day," said Karen Franklin, a
British Airways spokeswoman.
One's Already Spoken For
Back in 1989, Air France, the other company flying Concordes,
agreed to donate one of the supersonic jetliners to the Smithsonian
Institute in Washington (DC).
But Not Everyone Wants Them For Posterity
One of those asking is Virgin Atlantic's brash CEO, Richard
Branson. He plans to keep at least some of the Concordes flying. In
an article last week, we reported Branson's offer is almost
laughably small. About one British Pound Sterling for each of the
BA Concordes (
ANN: April 27, 2003, "Branson To Buy Aging Concorde
Fleet?"). But Branson has a problem. He wants BA to
disclose its operational expenses on the Concordes, something the
royal flag carrier is not willing to do.
BA will end its Concorde flights in October. Air France will
shut them down by the end of this month.
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