Concorde Crash May End Aircraft's Run At High End

<B>Concorde Crash May End Aircraft's Run At High End</B>

The most convenient first class service transatlantic travelers have ever known may soon be history. French and British aviation authorities last month grounded Concorde jets operated by Air France and British Airways following the fatal July 25 crash of an Air France Concorde outside of Paris.

The regulatory groups suspended airworthiness certificates until further notice and requested analysis and new safety measures. Meanwhile, investigators continue to focus on a burst tire as a possible cause of the crash.

British Airways cancelled all Concorde flights ahead of the suspension and said the jets will stay grounded until early September. To handle displaced passengers, BA is mulling additional capacity on the transatlantic. The carrier said Concorde operations, however, could resume at 24 hours' notice. BA may step up plans to refurbish the cabin while the planes are idle. Air France has kept its supersonic fleet grounded since the crash.

One year ago, both British Airways and Air France told BTN that their Concorde fleets could fly another 20 years (BTN, Sept. 6, 1999). However, a permanent grounding of the 12 remaining jets, which halve travel times over the Atlantic, likely would not cost the carriers much more than allure since Concorde operations for British Airways and Air France are basically break-even.

For senior executives and other VIP travelers that means relative inconvenience. It also means cost savings for their corporations. Concorde flights are priced near $5,000 each way.