Why did they stop using concorde?

Question

Why did they stop using concorde?

Answer 1

At one time Concorde was making money as a fast first class only bridge to the USA, with very expensive fares for business travellers. Over the whole life it was not a commercial success though. The Paris crash of course dented its reputation badly and it was a matter of pride to get it flying again. However it was 1950's technology, designed and built in the late 60s, and effectively 30 - 40 years old. The costs of keeping a fleet of only 20 aircraft (not all of which were flyable) in full working order was the deciding factor. If you look at the records as well you will find that it had a poor TFOA record. The fuel and green issues will also have been a factor in the decision

Answer 2

Because a Concord is very Expensive for a Airliner to take on

Answer 3

Basic law of economics - 'When the operating cost of a  venture exceeds the revenue - better to cut the losses'. The Concorde lagged behind in technology and both UK and France were losing lots of money to keep a 'prestige' aircraft in the air. The Paris crash was a scape goat which provided the basis to ground the fleet with dignity. Otherwise, she was the safest aircraft in aviation history, though not very comfortable to travel in.

Answer 4

There was many reasons for it. The cost of running it was outweighing the amount of people using it, and after 9/11 and the Paris crash the trust in the plane was gone.

Many people wanted one kept for airshows etc but BA again said it would cost too much to run. Richard Branson offered to buy Concorde but BA wouldnt allow it, so she was grounded.

I do however live in the hope that one day one will be put together again and fly. They did it with the Vulcan, why not Concorde

Answer 5

They were obsolete.  They did not carry enough people to make them profitable and the tickets were over $3000 each way.  They could no longer pass pollution and noise level standards.  And they had a crash shortly before ending all flights.  A bunch of reasons.

Answer 6

Simply put, technology didnt catch up in time to make it a cost competitive commercial airline. It got old

Answer 7

Cos the Yanks were jealous and didn't like it, or so it would appear from the colonial answerers.

Answer 8

John B - I don't agree with you. Concorde was a marvel of engineering and the Flagship of both the British and French governments. It showed the ingenuity of European engineering and demonstrated to everybody that we were still in the game. Pouring money into it was worth it just to get back onto the world stage.

"Friends at NASA have told me that the technological challenge of making a Mach 2.2 passenger jet was greater than putting a man on the moon Those rocket boys get all teary-eyed about their beloved Apollos. But when you mention the Concorde, their eyes dry and they nod, slowly and reverentially." - J. Clarkson

Answer 9

They stopped using the Concorde because the airplane fleet was getting old and they were very expensive to fly. They used a LOT of fuel.

Air France/British Airways never really made money from those planes. They were more 'bragging rights' than anything else. The fiery crash of a Concorde several years ago marked the end.

More info here:

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/jul200...

Answer 10

age, it first flew in 1969 to keep it airworthy and up to date would cost a fortune

Answer 11

Ostensibly due to the accident in 2003.  However, Concorde never made any money for either British Airways or Air France.  It was subsidized by their respective governments; essentially the British and French taxpayer was floating the bill so a few elite passengers could get to NY/London/Paris in 3 hours.

As I've stated elsewhere, Concorde was designed for an era of air travel that was gone by the time it entered service.  You may have heard the term "jet set".  That implies rich, young people who flew from hot location to hot location.  In the early/mid 1960's these people, and business travelers, made up the majority of air passengers.  Concorde was designed for them.  People who would pay whatever it cost (Concorde cost the equivalent of a full-fare 1st Class ticket plus a "Concorde surcharge" which amount to ANOTHER 1st class ticket.  Prices in 2000 dollars were around $5-7000 one way)  People who enjoyed the prestige of flying at 2.0Mach.

By the time it entered service, rising awareness of the environmental impact, and more importantly the changing nature of air travel, made it almost a white elephant.

When it entered service, the most common passenger was still the business person, but now the average guy-like us was also flying.  Typical coach passengers were happy to pay $600-700 to arrive across the pond in 6-9 hours.  Business passengers were not willing to shell out double 1st class tickets to get their employees to meetings a few hours early.

The aircraft design itself didn't lend to making money:  only about 144 seats and these weren't all that great (I toured one at an airshow-and the accommodations were what one would find in a typical business class.)  To make any money, Concorde would've had to fly with full loads every trip:  by 2003 it was routinely flying with less than 1/4 of the seats filled.  

Bottom line, it just wasn't making money.  I personally believe the crash in Paris was the excuse both airlines needed to cancel it.

Answer 12

simply it was expensive & noisy

Answer 13

Because it was the dumbest financial bath in aviation history.

Answer 14

If that program got a dollar for every time this question was asked here, they could start flying them again.

Answer 15

It costed them too much for the fuel because it went so fast.

Answer 16

Concorde was taken out of service because Airbus industries withdrew technical support, without this support the Civil avaiation authority in the UK couldnt issue a certificate of airworthiness certificate  thats the bottom line, other factors where also involved such as 9/11 and the reduction in air travel, contrary to many peoples thoughts on here after BA was privatised concorde made a profit every year it was operating until 9/11