Concorde sales agents overwhelmed

UK: 1,000 seats sold in one day as time runs out for supersonic jet

Reservations agents at British Airways say thy have been overwhelmed by people rushing to book seats on Concorde before the supersonic jet is retired in the autumn.

British Airways and Air France last week announced that the legendary aircraft will stop flying at the end of October after 27 years of service. Both airlines say bookings have dried up in recent years; all Concorde flights were suspended following the 2000 crash in Paris, which killed 114 people, and a declining demand for premium-class flights has meant Concorde is no longer viable.

However, since last week’s announcement, and a corresponding price cut that has seen fares slashed by as much as 50 per cent, have stimulated the market and 1,000 cheap seats were sold in the space of one day. BA says it may release more cheap seats if there is enough demand in coming months.

As reported by News From Abroad last week, Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic has already expressed interest in running Concorde and is claiming that the original agreement between the Government and British Airways means he should be given a chance to operate the jet.