5 ms·

I think the real problem is that the Concorde wasn't fast enough to justify the cost. Whether you can fly JFK-CDG in 8 hours or 4 hours, when you factor in how

• projektfu 6y ago
  They could have their own special terminals and all passengers pre-cleared.
• eloff 6y ago
  Or fly it out of a private airport without as much irritating stuff, much like private jets do today.
• clintonb 6y ago
  > Whether you can fly JFK-CDG in 8 hours or 4 hours, when you factor in how irritating airports are, parking, security line ups, waiting for baggage, etc, it still takes all day to make the trip. Security lines weren't a thing until 2001. The Concorde operated from 1976 to 2003. The retirement was due to low passenger count due to a crash in 2000 and 9/11 in 2001.
  • robotresearcher 6y ago
    Security lines were absolutely a thing in the UK and France, where the Concordes flew from, due to terrorist campaigns.
  • grkvlt 6y ago
    im guessing if you really need, and can afford, supersonic travel then either it'll be like flying business/first or you'll have top tier ff status with the airline, and queues etc are much less of, or even a non issue.
    • _-___________-_ 6y ago
      Exactly this. Supersonic flight is likely to be more expensive than subsonic flight, and will likely mostly be used by people that fly regularly. Even moderately frequent travellers don't find airports that much of an issue because a) their status allows them to skip most of the horrible parts, and b) they have learned how to travel efficiently.
  • schoen 6y ago
    I remember going through security for domestic U.S. flights in the 1990s. They had magnetometers and I think they had some kind of baggage x-ray machine. It was faster because they didn't check IDs, and I don't think they were that careful about having people go through the metal detector one at a time with a security agent actively watching them pass through.
• flyGuyOnTheSly 6y ago
  The concorde didn't fail because it was expensive. It ran profitably for 27 years. [0] It failed because it crashed and killed 109 people 3 years before they threw in the towel. [1] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concorde#Operating_economics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concorde#Operating_economics [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_4590 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_4590
  • wtvanhest 6y ago
    On top of that, none of the things mentioned were big problems during the 80s when the concord was in its peak. Security just started ramping up after the wave of 1970s hijackings that necessitated security at airports
  • phire 6y ago
    The main reason the airlines managed to run Concorde at a profit is because they bought the planes for quite cheap. At one point the British government even sold two planes to British airways for £1 each. [0] The airlines might have profited, but the R&D and manufacturing programs were a more or less write offs. [1] https://simpleflying.com/british-airways-1-pound-concorde/ https://simpleflying.com/british-airways-1-pound-concorde/
    • notahacker 6y ago
      It also ran on only two routes for most of that time, with all others shut down because airlines lost money operating Concorde on them even without having to pay off the capital costs.
      • 9nGQluzmnq3M 6y ago
        The Concorde was also blocked from flying a lot of profitable routes because of sonic boom concerns, some justified, others less so. In particular, you can't legally fly over any part of the US at Mach 1 or faster unless you're military.
        • 6y ago
• bogomipz 6y ago
  Well for all but the last two years of the Corcorde's existence there was no TSA or security lines. Also I know at JFK at least the Concorde had it's own private departure lounge called the The Concorde Room(it's actually still there) and it also had its' own private jetway as well. So it was definitely a premium experience all the way around.
  • grkvlt 6y ago
    that's true of LHR as well, there is a Concorde Room just after the priority security scan lane, and first class or top tier BA pax get invited. the place is insane in terms of 'premium-ness' with the experience being s whole level above the usual BA first class lounges - you'll find the full details on the ba.com site. sadly i only managed to use it once or twice, when my boss guested me in ;(
• meddlepal 6y ago
  It made way more sense as an aircraft when: 1. Communication was not as instantaneous as today and more things required face to face meetings. 2. You could basically walk onto an air plane with minimal security interference. My dad said he flew the Concorde several times from Europe to NYC for business in the late 70s and early 80's and he said it was worth it in that context. I should ask him how comfortable it was next time I see him. I've been inside of a Concorde that was turned into a museum piece and it is a pretty cramped airframe. I dunno how modern 2020 people would feel about the compactness.
  • ghaff 6y ago
    The Concorde interior was pretty similar to the first class seating of the era (maybe a bit tighter), i.e. more like today's conventional domestic business/first than Polaris lie-flat seats (much less the mini-cabins airlines like Emirates have available).
• fredophile 6y ago
  Flying with first class tickets will get you into an expedited security line in most airports as well as other perks like lounge access. If you're paying Concorde prices I'd expect that to also come with the same perks as a first class ticket on a slower plane. That means less waiting than the rest of us and the wait you do have is more comfortable.
  • spiritplumber 6y ago
    You also get the expedited security line if you keep a NASA badge inside your passport.
  • executive 6y ago
    LAX also has Private Suite, JFK & MIA coming soon. https://reserveps.com https://reserveps.com