Crazy, this is getting silly. We all want Concorde to remain in the air but even you can't seriously tell me that Richard Branson will make the required number of fare-paying passengers appear when BA and AF have failed.

Remember that the majority of BA's R passengers were BA corporate customers. I'm sure that VS could attract a huge number of people who would pay the price to fly Concorde, but that traffic will die down once the novelty has worn off. Remember that before the April retirement announcement, Concorde was flying at well below 50% capacity. Those that flew in R were a mix of wealthy, celebs, and business execs.

AF couldn't make it work and jointly it was decided that BA could not pay the bills alone. Airbus and the UK Civil Aviation Authority said they would not provide the required backup to anyone else but BA. Can't blame BA for that.

BA refuses to sell it because it is a strategic asset. They own the planes and the spares. The acquisition price may have been low, but it was market clearing and it was the only bid around at the time. Again, whose fault is that. BA must believe that it is acting in the best interests of its shareholders.