Is there still that large "model" of the Concorde at LHR that can be seen from the entrance roadway?

It was just removed at the end of March; it's being replaced with an Emirates A380. b

What?!? Oh, lame lame lame. Even though I never flew Concorde, I always liked seeing it on the drive into LHR - a reminder of an age that didn't last long enough, and went away far too soon.

Just the once, LHR-JFK in September 2002.
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You'll likely find quite a few FT'ers have flown the Concorde---mainly due to a SPG mileage promo (SPG miles + Bonus-->QF =125,000 QF = BA F/Concorde). I did it twice, both times combining it with regular BA F for the full experience. And yes, the cabin is very tight, with the seats the size of a regular coach class, no movie and limited audio entertainment-- but you did get to see the monitor in the front of the cabin registering speed and how high you're flying. What I found amazing was when flying over Ireland, we were so high you actually saw the whole country 'maplike'. Others talk of seeing the curve of the earth -- whatever, it was an amazing experience and I'm glad I can say I did it.

Flew it once in the mid-80s, and while I 'participated' in the SPG-QF-BA miles transfer to which Mauld refers above, I never used that for a Speedbird flight.

In any event, it's possible that I am the only one of you who've literally flown it for FREE. Was in London on a 'courier' flight with DHL or TNT (can't recall which) and got a phone call asking if I wanted to leave one day earlier, and take Concorde. Thought about it for a few minutes, and my friends said I'd be nuts to give up the opportunity.

Flight was fun enough, but not luxurious at all. Tix went for about 7,000 GBP IIRC.

Best, Dave

Knowing that I could never have afforded to pay for proper flights on Concorde I I booked a day trip with BA to Bergen in Norway on it in 1998. We flew out from Heathrow, stayed in Bergen for a few hours and flew back. The Captain told us that we passengers would have been some of the very few who had travelled on Concorde TWICE in one day. I remember being blown away by the experience....the way you sort of got stuck to your seat as you took off, the way that everyone who was standing on the tarmac when you landed had their fingers stuck in their ears and the way that by the time we took off from Bergen thousands of people had turned up to see it and were waving at us from the car parks and just about everywhere. We got up to Mach both ways as well. All in all it was a totally unfortgettable experience and one I'm glad I did before it was too late. It was a sad day when it made its last flight.

Yes, I flew on Concorde. "The Concorde", using the definite article, is an expression that seems to have been confined to the USA for some reason (see past FT jocularity about this).

Regarding the seating it was 25 rows of 2+2 at First Class width and pitch, not really CR-700 size at all.

In the last year or two of service the cabin interiors were refitted at considerable cost, in fact the programme was never completed and a large quantity of materials remained unused when the aircraft was withdrawn. Among the refit was an LCD cabin speed display which just didn't show up on photographs, to the disappointment of the many who took photos of them at Mach 2.

The large Concorde model at the entrance to Heathrow was removed last month as airport owners BAA did an auction for the site and Emirates finally outbid British Airways for it. Well done BAA, in recognising your heritage and how your business evolved, you are absolute cretins. The cognoscenti will continue to refer to that point as the Concorde Roundabout.

One of the abiding memories of Concorde is when taxying along the ground. Everybody, absolutely everybody, ramp workers, people at the gate windows, employees of competing airlines, ALL had stopped what they were doing and were looking at you.

You canlearn more about here at www.concordesst.com

Twice. First with AF JFK/CDG in 1988, flying time 3.18; and 2/92 LHR/JFK on BA. Lv. LHR 10:40AM/Ar. JFK 9:10AM (flying time 3.30) Used a "75AD" on AF (75% off full fare), and BA trip was part of a travel agent "fam" trip put together by the British Tourist Authority and BA. Terminal 4 at LHR seemed so new at the time!

Just the once on one of the pleasure flights they used to hold from regional airports. 600GBP got you a couple of hours flying over the Bay of Biscay and back again. We went from EXT, a small local airport and whenever there were Concorde flights thousands of people would turn up just to see it. Special parking had to be arranged for sightseers and the passengers all got passes so we wouldn't get caught up in the traffic.

Absolutely true, amazing to see ramp workers just stop and turn to watch as the Concorde passed.

You'd be surprised actually! When BA were operating two returns per day you'd find around 8-10% of the passengers on BA001 which got into JFK around 9am would return that evening on BA004 arrived at LHR at 10.30pm.

This thread is a useful reminder to those who imagined that the Concorde was the height of luxury. It was never close to that. It was really fast, and really cool. I wish I could have flown on it, but that's just the boy in me who likes roller coasters and the like.

As far as a pleasant journey through the air, nothing beats the best premium commercial cabins -- not even most private jets.

It's really too bad no US airline ever picked up the planes.

Imagine if United's PS service included Concorde flights between SFO/LAX and JFK.

It would make day trips (for business and pleasure) just as easy as day trips between SFO and LAX.