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- [00:00]
Lindsey Graham
Want to get more from business movers? Subscribe to Wondery plus for early access to new episodes, ad free listening and exclusive content you can't find anywhere else. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app.
- [00:11]
Mike Bannister
Or on Apple Podcasts. It's July 25, 2000, in the Port of Southampton on the south coast of England. In the cruise terminal, Mike Bannister waits in a long line beside his excited family. The 51 year old Mike is the chief pilot for British Airways Concorde fleet. A quarter of a century on from its first flight, Concorde remains the world's only supersonic passenger jet. And piloting is a job Mike loves. But today he's traveling by sea. He and his family have been looking.
- [00:59]
Lindsey Graham
Forward to this vacation for months.
- [01:01]
Mike Bannister
An Atlantic crossing on the iconic Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2. But just as they're about to start boarding, Mike hears his pager go off.
- [01:10]
Lindsey Graham
He peers at the message.
- [01:12]
Mike Bannister
The text reads, call British Airways, most urgent. Oh, something must have happened. His wife gives him a look. He's meant to be leaving work behind on this trip. I'm sure it won't take long. Just hold our place. I'll be back. He steps out of the boarding line, away from his family, and digs out his cell phone to call British Airways Crisis center at Heathrow Airport. Hey, it's Mike. What's going on? The duty manager on the other end of the line sounds tense. There's been a crash. A Concorde. What? It's not one of ours. It's Air France out of Paris. My God. What happened? We're not sure yet. We know it crashed just after takeoff. It hit a hotel on the outskirts of Charles de Gaulle Air. Mike's mind races. Concorde has a perfect safety record. In its 25 years of service, there have been zero crashes, zero fatalities and zero hull losses, the industry term for severe aircraft damage. Statistically, it's the safest plane in the world. Did it. Did it actually get off the ground? Yes, but barely. Eyewitnesses are saying there were flames coming from the engine and the plane struggled to climb. It was all over in two minutes. Mike is momentarily lost for words, just imagining the terror of those on board. Who is the pilot? Christian Marty. Oh, good Lord. He's a veteran. Yeah, been with Air France since the 60s. Are there any survivors? There's no way to be sure at this stage, but it doesn't look good. I'm afraid we need all hands on deck for this. Yeah, of course. I understand. I'm sorry, Mike. Mike looks across at his family chattering excitedly in line. His wife and their three kids don't yet know he's about to call off their vacation. But he has no choice. When Mike Bannister arrived at the British Airways Crisis center later that day, there were few answers to too many questions. But one thing was clear. There were no survivors from air France Flight 4590. Concorde was the safest aircraft in the world, but that reputation was now in ruins. You would have to be pieced back together or the world's only supersonic passenger jet would never take to the skies again.
- [03:31]
Lindsey Graham
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Mike Bannister
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- [03:37]
Lindsey Graham
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- [03:52]
Mike Bannister
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- [03:58]
Lindsey Graham
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Mike Bannister
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Lindsey Graham
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Mike Bannister
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Lindsey Graham
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Mike Bannister
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Lindsey Graham
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- [04:45]
Mike Bannister
Enterprise Ready AI from wondering I'm Lindsey Graham and this is Business Members. The Concorde supersonic jet was a partnership not just between two nations, but also between the public and private sectors in each country. In both Britain and France, the government funded the development of Concorde in the.
- [05:30]
Lindsey Graham
Hopes of winning national prestige and a.
- [05:32]
Mike Bannister
Dominant position in a new age of supersonic travel. That vision of the future did not come to pass, but the two governments.
- [05:40]
Lindsey Graham
Still hoped they would eventually see a.
- [05:41]
Mike Bannister
Return on their enormous investment. When Concord finally entered Service in the mid-1970s, though, profits failed to materialize. It was then that the policies of the two nations diverged. In the late 1980s, British Airways was privatized by the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The company Then bought out the British state's remaining interest in Concorde and turned the program around. By the turn of the millennium, British Airways Concorde fleet was responsible for around 20% of their entire profit. An impressive achievement for just seven aircraft. But air France was a different story.
- [06:19]
Lindsey Graham
It remained a government owned business and.
- [06:21]
Mike Bannister
Faced limitations British Airways did not. Its Concorde operation was smaller, with fewer flights and fewer destinations. But British Airways had another advantage. Most Concorde passengers were drawn from a narrow, elite group of top level executives. There weren't many. And the London international financial markets were more of a draw for them than those in Paris. All this meant that despite its best efforts, Air France flew its Concorde fleet at a persistent loss. But for over a decade, this disparity didn't seem to matter.
- [06:54]
Lindsey Graham
France valued the prestige of being one.
- [06:56]
Mike Bannister
Of only two nations in the world to fly a supersonic passenger jet. But then, in 2000, disaster struck. The deadly crash of Air France Flight 4590 upended the Concorde business on both sides of the English channel. As experts disagreed over the cause of the accident, Cracks developed in the long partnership between Britain and France, and questions began to emerge again about the future of Concorde. Despite the best efforts of senior British Airways pilot Mike Bannister, the supersonic era seemed doomed. This is the final episode in our four part series on the rise and fall of the crash. It's July 26, 2000, in the suburbs of Paris, the day after the Air France Concorde crash. The sun sets over the small town of Guiness. British Airways pilot Mike Bannister is grateful for the fading light because he doesn't want to see any of this too closely. The smell of jet fuel and burnt asphalt still lingers in the air. The shattered body of the French Concorde is barely recognizable. The hotel the plane hit is also almost destroyed, with only a portion of its first floor still standing.
- [08:10]
Lindsey Graham
Four people who were inside have been.
- [08:13]
Mike Bannister
Confirmed as the latest victims, taking the death toll from the crash to 113. Mike has been summoned here by Robin Tyderman, an investigator at the British air accidents investigation branch. The two men survey the wreckage in silence for a few moments before Robin speaks. Well, apparently the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing at Le Bourget. What's that, a mile from here? Yeah, if that. Somehow knowing how close they were just makes it seem worse. You've seen the video footage? Yeah. Looks like a tank rupture and the fuel ignited. I can't think what else could cause a fire like that. There was debris on the Runway at Charles de Gaulle. A titanium alloy strip that dropped off the engine of another aircraft. Air France's working theory at the moment is that their Concorde ran over the metal and it ripped a hole in the plane. A single point of failure. Yeah.
- [09:03]
Lindsey Graham
Unlikely, I know.
- [09:04]
Mike Bannister
I mean, damage could be part of the picture, but it wouldn't be the whole story. It never is with these things. I've been flying Concorde for 25 years. It's the safest aircraft in the world. Whatever happened here, it wasn't due to a single freak event. I put money on that. Well, it sounds like your airline is putting money on it. Mike nods. Following the accident, Air France immediately grounded its Concorde fleet as a mark of respect for the victims. British Airways did the same. But it's now been decided that from tomorrow, British Concorde flights will resume. Well, candidly, Robin, the company has been put in a slightly awkward position. Continuing flights straight away would have felt crass, but grounding all our Concordes didn't make sense either. Not without a clear rationale for this crash. Our. This isn't our plane after all. The overnight pause was a compromise. Yeah, I understand. I'd probably done the same thing. But the French aren't going to like it. No, they'll think it's us, saying they're the ones responsible for this. Yeah, but, you know, business is business. What we need to focus on is getting to the bottom of what happened. I'd like your help with that.
- [10:10]
Lindsey Graham
Well, yeah, of course.
- [10:11]
Mike Bannister
Whatever I can do. The official investigation will be led by the French, obviously, But as Concord was a half, British design will be feeding into it as well. There aren't many people who know the plane better than you, so I was hoping you'd agreed to act as our chief technical advisor. Well, it's terrible to accept an honor like this. Yeah. But thank you. You'll be a great help. Well, the first thing we need to do is establish what happened here before some other narrative takes hold. And what do you mean by that? Well, Concorde's always been divisive at British Airways. To some people, she's an icon, but to others, she's a burden. No matter how much profit Concorde makes, they always say we'd make more without it. And over the years, these two sides have become more and more entrenched. It's become rather bitter at times, I'm afraid. So you think for the detractors, this is an opportunity? Yeah. They'll use this crash to bury Concorde. But I'm not going to let Them. A day after the fatal Air France flight, British airways resumed its Concorde services to America. Despite the tragic accident making headlines around the world, only a handful of passengers canceled their trips. Mike Bannister was encouraged by the customer's loyalty. They still seemed to believe in Concorde, But Mike knew it wasn't the public that had to be convinced. Right now, Concord's future wouldn't be decided in the marketplace. It would be decided by an investigation. Air accident investigators soon identified the fatal.
- [11:40]
Lindsey Graham
Chain of events that led to the.
- [11:42]
Mike Bannister
Loss of air France Flight 4590. The plane had run over a piece of metal debris as it accelerated down the Runway at Charles de Gaulle airport. That shredded one of Concorde's tires. A fragment of that tire had then ricocheted violently into the wing, where it.
- [11:58]
Lindsey Graham
Ruptured a fuel tank.
- [12:00]
Mike Bannister
This caught fire and set the left side of the jet ablaze. Damage from the fire, combined with the loss of thrust and engine power, made the plane impossible to control. It failed to achieve stable flight and crashed in Guiness, four miles away from the airport, where it took off. After all the evidence was collected, it seemed like an open and shut case. But just as Mike Bannister had predicted.
- [12:24]
Lindsey Graham
It soon became clear that the Air.
- [12:26]
Mike Bannister
France crash had more than just this one single cause. After listening to the cockpit voice recording, Mike and his fellow investigators realized that the doomed plane's crew had made a series of errors that also contributed to the accident. Seeing the flames engulfing the jet's wing.
- [12:45]
Lindsey Graham
The flight engineer had shut down the.
- [12:47]
Mike Bannister
Plane'S number two engine, believing it was the source of the fire. This was against protocol.
- [12:53]
Lindsey Graham
Concorde engines shouldn't ever have been shut.
- [12:55]
Mike Bannister
Down below 400ft and only then on the command of the captain. But the Air France jet was only 25ft in the air when the engineer took action. There were several other breaches of standard operating procedure by the crew. As well. As it accelerated down the Runway, the plane had the wind behind it. This broke a cardinal rule of flying, which pilots learned early in their careers to always take off into the wind to maximize airspeed over the wings. The Air France plane had also reached a speed of just 188 knots when the pilot took it off the ground, well below the minimum recommended speed of 200 knots. And crucially, the Concorde had been more than six tons over its maximum approved takeoff weight, thanks to a combination of over fueling and excess baggage. This extra weight made it even harder for the pilot to get his plane airborne and keep it there like Other jets. Concorde was designed to avoid single points of failure. Any critical part of its systems had at least one backup or contingency. This is why Mike was so sure from the beginning that multiple factors must have caused the crash. In his view, if every other procedure had been followed, then the damage caused.
- [14:09]
Lindsey Graham
By the debris and the subsequent fire.
- [14:12]
Mike Bannister
Would have resulted in a serious incident, certainly, but not necessarily a fatal one. It was human error that had turned misfortune into disaster. These findings were good news for British Airways. They seemed to confirm that there was nothing wrong with the design or performance of Concorde itself and therefore no reason to ground the aircraft. But Air France was deeply unhappy.
- [14:35]
Lindsey Graham
It rejected the narrative that its employees.
- [14:38]
Mike Bannister
Weren'T any way to blame and saw British Airways decision to keep flying Concorde as a betrayal of their long partnership. Having seen the evidence, though, Mike was confident that the official investigation into the crash would back his view that Concorde was essentially safe. So in August 2000, around three weeks after the crash, Mike was happy to leave the inquiry behind and resume the family vacation he'd been forced to abandon. Tickets on the QE2 liner were no longer available, but one of Mike's superiors at British Airways offered him and his family a free round trip to New York on Concord instead. Mike was told it was a gesture of appreciation to make up for his family having missed their cruise. And Mike was thrilled to accept. But little did he know there was an ulterior motive at play. While Mike was on vacation, the French investigation into the Concorde crash published its preliminary report. To Mike's surprise and horror, it claimed that the crash was caused solely by metal debris on the Runway at Charles de Gaulle. The other factors, the human errors, were not mentioned at all. Worse, the report went on to claim that it was Concorde's design that was really at fault for the crash, Alleging the Concorde was uniquely vulnerable to the damage the jet had sustained from debris due to the stresses imposed on the plane's wheels during takeoff and the specific configuration of its fuel tanks. As a result of this damning preliminary report, Concorde's certification of airworthiness was revoked by aviation authorities. British Airways now had no choice but to ground its fleet. Mike couldn't believe it. He was convinced it was no coincidence the report had been published while he was away. He'd been maneuvered out of the country to make sure he couldn't intervene. The anti Concorde contingent within British Airways had gotten its way. So now the only way to get the supersonic fleet flying again would be to address the supposed design flaws the report had identified. But this was the last thing concorde needed. Its high running costs were already a concern, and the required upgrades like anti burst tires and kevlar protected fuel tanks Would only add to the expense. Mike bannister knew that this was a pivotal moment in concorde's history. As a pilot with a lifetime of experience, Mike was all too familiar with the law of inertia. It's much easier to keep a moving object in motion Than to push a stationary one back into action. That was why he fought so hard to avoid grounding the concorde fleet. He knew that once the jets were out of the sky, it would be that much harder to return them there. Concorde's detractors at British airways were pleased, Though of course the accident wasn't how they wanted concorde to be grounded. But now they hoped that the complicated design modifications Would prove too expensive to be implemented and the plane would simply never fly again. Mike, however, wasn't ready to give up. The odds had been stacked against the jet for years and somehow she'd always prevailed before.
- [17:39]
Lindsey Graham
Now mike would make it his mission.
- [17:41]
Mike Bannister
To see concorde's overhaul completed and the iconic supersonic jet return to the sky. Business movers is sponsored by monarch.
- [17:54]
Lindsey Graham
How much did you spend on groceries this month? I have to admit, if you ask me, I do not know the answer to that. Certainly not off the top of my head. And a month ago, if I were to try to find out, I'd have to scour statements from like three different credit cards plus my checking account.
- [18:08]
Mike Bannister
It's a lot of work.
- [18:09]
Lindsey Graham
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- [18:35]
Mike Bannister
A quick at a glance financial check in.
- [18:37]
Lindsey Graham
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- [19:18]
Mike Bannister
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- [19:19]
Lindsey Graham
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Mike Bannister
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- [19:22]
Lindsey Graham
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- [19:32]
Mike Bannister
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Lindsey Graham
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- [19:40]
Mike Bannister
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- [19:42]
Lindsey Graham
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- [20:03]
Mike Bannister
It'S May 2001 in the small, small southern French town of Istre. Nine months after British Airways grounded its Concorde fleet. Mike Bannister stands on the tarmac at the Istra Le Tuba airbase watching a Concorde taxi slowly into position. The Runway here is the longest in Europe, stretching for over three miles. It's the ideal setting for this series.
- [20:25]
Lindsey Graham
Of tests which will determine whether Concorde.
- [20:27]
Mike Bannister
Will ever carry paying passengers again over over the last nine months, engineers on both sides of the English Channel have been working tirelessly on expensive modifications to the Concorde. Mike and a handful of colleagues had to fight hard to persuade British Airways top executives to spend the money. Now he's praying that today's test goes well. Mike turns to see Henri Perrier striding toward him. Henry was head of the Concorde program in France for two decades and is known by many here as the Father of the Concord. Monsieur Banister, welcome to Istra. Henri shakes Mike's hand vigorously. The two men have known each other for years, and they share the same love for Concord and the same fears for the future. Well, thank you, Henri. I'm delighted to be here. So what is the mood like at British Airways? Oh, it's mixed. Lots of naysayers. I've got a ten pound bet with one of the captains whose certain Concord will never fly again. But I have faith plenty of us do. What about here in France? The mood here also mixed? You probably know that Air France has been operating Concorde at a loss. Yep. Same unprofitable hell we were in two decades ago. And yet she was worth it. Such a source of pride, this magnificent bird streaking through the sky. But now Henri trails off and Mike understands it's going to be hard for the French to feel national pride in an aircraft that killed over 100 people. Mike's quiet for a moment before he replies. So she's not turning a profit and she's not making anyone proud. So you tell me, what incentive does Air France have to get her flying again? That's what's got you worried, right? Yeah, precisely. Ah, here she goes. The two men watch as the Concorde begins to accelerate down the Runway. But suddenly, the jet makes a sharp turn to the left before shuddering to a stop. As alarming as this looks, it's not a mistake. It's all part of the test. The plane's new burst resistant tires are being put through their paces. Oh, that's still frightening to look at. Are they going to put metal debris on the Runway, Try to recreate the crash? They did that earlier. Tires passed flying colors. The two men watch as a crowd of engineers surround the Concorde to inspect its tires for any sign of damage. Well, the way I look at it, Henri, Air France has poured millions into these safety modifications. Surely they'll want to reap the rewards. Well, you would think so, but when did anything about Concorde make sense? Henri smiles sadly. And then one of the engineers by the plane flashes an okay hand signal. Well, there, see, I. She'll be back in the air in no time. Let us hope so, my friend. Let us hope so. Because it pains me to see her wings cliff like this. The tires were not the only area of concern identified by the investigation into the Concorde crash. The plane's fuel tanks had also been redesigned in the wake of the accident, and another series of tests focused on those. But here, too, the new Concorde performed perfectly. Mike Bannister had never been convinced the modifications were necessary, but now they'd been made, he was sure that Concorde was better than ever. Now he and British Airways just had to persuade the rest of the world that the supersonic jet was fit to fly again. From the beginning, Mike Bannister knew that Concorde was in a race against the clock. The longer it stayed grounded, the harder.
- [23:57]
Lindsey Graham
It would be to get the jet flying again. And he didn't want Concorde's regular flyers.
- [24:02]
Mike Bannister
To get too used to traveling at subsonic speed. But his biggest concern was not the customers. It was the personnel. The Concorde fleet had dedicated pilots and engineers with years of experience, but they were currently sitting around on standby. That could not go on forever. It was a waste of money. Sooner or later, these pilots and engineers would have to find work on other aircraft. Unless Concorde returned to the skies soon, British Airways might Find there was no one left to pilot the planes and no one left to service them. So Mike was delighted in the summer of 2001 when Concorde returned to the skies for a test flight out of London Heathrow, the first flight since the fleet had been grounded. Mike was the chief pilot on board, and his task was to determine what impact, if any, the new safety modifications had on Concorde's performance. Taking off, Mike felt perfectly calm. Being back in Concorde's cramped cockpit was like coming home. And he was pleased to discover that.
- [24:59]
Lindsey Graham
The redesigned aircraft handled just as smoothly.
- [25:01]
Mike Bannister
As ever, despite all the anxiety and anguish of the past year. As he took the plane roaring into the skies, Mike felt as if everything was going to be okay. After taking off from Heathrow, Mike turned to the west and set a course out over the Atlantic Ocean. He flew towards Iceland for an hour and a half before making a 180 degree turn to head back towards Britain. The plane was not yet authorized to enter American airspace again, so this out and back again flight route was designed.
- [25:30]
Lindsey Graham
To simulate a transatlantic crossing.
- [25:32]
Mike Bannister
In terms of distance, and despite the unusual itinerary, the flight was a complete success. After Concord touched down at a royal air force base in England, Mike spoke to a crowd of reporters to drive this point home. He was wary of appearing triumphant or insensitive, so he began by acknowledging the tragedy of the Air France crash. But then he delivered a more hopeful message. The test flight had gone so well, he was able to announce that Concorde was clear for takeoff. British Airways intended to restart commercial operations in the fall of 2001. Mike's remarks were the beginning of a new PR campaign by the airline. Personal messages were sent to 1500 of British Airways most frequent Concorde flyers, with the top 50 customers invited to Heathrow to meet with pilots like Mike Bannister and inspect the modified planes themselves. As well as implementing the required safety modifications, British Airways had taken the opportunity to completely refurbish Concorde's cabin as well. These refits cost the equivalent of over $40 million today. And saw the somber gray and black interiors replaced by a more modern, inky blue look from noted British designer Sir Terence Conran. But with the Paris crash still in the back of their mind, British Airways marketers didn't want to appear too triumphant. Instead, the campaign was kept deliberately low key. It was designed, above all, to reassure existing customers about the safety of Concord and build up excitement about its return to the skies. In a subtle way, to Mike Bannister's delight, the British public seemed receptive. To the message. Even in Westminster, support was mounting. On July 17, 2001, 136 members of.
- [27:15]
Lindsey Graham
Parliament signed a motion in the house.
- [27:17]
Mike Bannister
Of commons congratulating the Concorde team on the success of the test flight and calling on British Airways and Air France to resume passenger service as quickly as possible. It seemed that Concorde was still a powerful symbol of technological achievement and international cooperation. And although the British government no longer had a direct stake in the project, many politicians in London still considered her a national treasure. And so too, did the French, because there was soon good news from across the English channel as well. Despite the fears of the French engineer Henri Perrier, Air France confirmed that it, too, would resume its supersonic services that fall. Shortly afterward, the British civil aviation authority and its French counterpart reinstated Concorde's certificates of airworthiness. The US Federal aviation administration was yet to follow suit, but that approval was widely seen as a formality. To Mike, it all felt like the tide was finally turning in Concorde's favor. And in the final days before commercial service resumed, British Airways ran what it called an operational assessment flight. This was partly a dress rehearsal to ensure that everything on board ran smoothly after more than a year of being on the ground. But it was also a celebration. The passengers were all British Airways employees and engineers who were finally getting to enjoy the fruits of their labor once again. Mike Bannister was in the cockpit when the flight took off from Heathrow airport. And as soon as they were over the Atlantic, he took the Concorde supersonic and flew south towards the bay of Biscay before looping back toward England. It was a clear, bright morning. The date was September 11, 2001. When the jet landed back at Heathrow that afternoon, there was applause from the passengers in the cabin. But as Mike emerged from the cockpit, he was startled to see a British Airways engineer running down the jetway toward the plane. He looked panicked and quickly told them the news. Just moments earlier, an American airline's passenger plane had crashed into one of the twin towers in New York city. Mike's initial shock and confusion curdled into horror as the day went on. Concorde's victory lap was forgotten. Mike knew that dozens of the supersonic jet's most regular customers worked in the world trade center. Men and women he had piloted across the Atlantic countless times. So as Mike and the rest of.
- [29:40]
Lindsey Graham
The world watched the 911 terrorist attacks.
- [29:43]
Mike Bannister
Unfold live on television, all flights in and out of the United States were grounded. Once they resumed three days later, demand for international air travel plummeted. So now it wasn't just the future of supersonic aviation that was in jeopardy, but the entire industry. British Airways and Air France both decided to delay the return of their Concordes. Given how critical New York was to the success of the plane, it was.
- [30:10]
Lindsey Graham
Vital for both both companies to resume flights there quickly.
- [30:13]
Mike Bannister
But they had to tread carefully. The last thing either airline wanted was to seem heartless or cavalier. So in the end, they agreed that transatlantic Concorde service would begin again simultaneously on November 7th. Mike Bannister should have been happy. He had fought hard for Concorde, and now, finally, the supersonic jet was back. But Mike couldn't shake a feeling of dread. There had always been something decadent and glamorous about Concorde, but 911 changed everything. Even for the wealthy passengers of the world's only supersonic jet, air travel didn't seem so fun anymore. A new age was beginning, and there would be no room in it for Concorde.
- [30:59]
Lindsey Graham
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- [31:41]
Mike Bannister
It's December 2002 at an exclusive golf club in west London, 13 months after Concord resumed passenger service. Mike Bannister is ensconced in a corner of the Concord Christmas party, deep in conversation with a colleague.
- [31:55]
Lindsey Graham
This black tie event is usually a.
- [31:57]
Mike Bannister
Highlight of the holiday season at British Airways, but this year the mood feels muted. Between the Air France crash, the September 11 attacks, and the worldwide downturn in air travel, it's been a rough period for the company. So Mike doesn't mind the distraction of a colleague grilling him about his most memorable experiences piloting Concorde. What about the first flight back to JFK after the grounding? I heard Sting was on board. Oh, I couldn't possibly comment on that. The flight though, that was surreal. Mayor Giuliani strode in into the cabin when we landed, started shaking hands. He made an impromptu speech about how proud he was to welcome Concord back to the city. I'm old enough to remember when New York didn't want anything to do with Concorde. But that must have been before your time, right? Oh, no. I got my co pilot's license just before they gave us clearance to fly into jfk. We've come a long way, haven't we? Mike notices the expression on his colleague's face. He looks wistful, maybe even sad. And what do you mean? Ah, well, you must have heard the same rumors. No. About what? About Concord being retired. Mike is surprised. He has heard the possibility raised in meetings with senior executives, but retirement was always framed as an unlikely outcome. Well, as far as I know, the relaunch has been a success. What exactly did you hear? That Air France is retiring its fleet. And if they're out, we're out, too. There's no way we can afford to maintain the fleet on our own. Well, I can't say I'm surprised the French are considering it. Concorde's been a loss for them ever since the beginning. And they're about to be privatized, aren't they? I imagine someone's taken a look into the accounts and come to the obvious conclusion. You're saying there's no future for Concord in France? Well, I didn't want to spoil your evening. I mean, because if the French are pulling out, it will be difficult for us. Certainly more ammunition for those who want to shut us down. I'm afraid these might be the last days of Concord. Well, I haven't heard anything concrete, and as long as she's airworthy, I'll fight for her. Let's not write an obituary now. There's life in the old bird yet. After all of the effort it had taken to put Concord back in the air, it was painful for Mike Bannister to imagine the plane was about to be grounded permanently. But despite his show of optimism at the Christmas party, Mike was worried. Concord had long been dismissed by its detractors as a relic of another era. Now even Mike began to fear that its days were numbered. 2002 had been a year of highs and lows for Concord. During the summer, the plane took part in Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee celebrations, marking the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the British throne. Concorde flew over Buckingham palace alongside the Royal Air Force display team in a spectacular air show that wowed hundreds of thousands of people watching below. The supersonic jet's status as a British national icon had never been clear. But things were not so rosy behind the scenes. Concorde was a marginal operation. Many of its flights were only barely profitable. And now, in the wake of 9 11, passenger numbers were down across the industry, and some Concordes were crossing the Atlantic almost empty. The plane's running costs had always been high, but since its refurbishment, they had increased even further. British Airways was just Making a profit on concorde, but only because it had a partner to split the costs of maintaining their aging fleet. But in early 2003, it was confirmed that air France had decided to retire its supersonic planes. Mike bannister knew what this meant, but true to his word, he did not give up. He fought hard for concorde, Lobbying senior executives at British airways to keep her flying. He argued that the downturn in passenger numbers was temporary, and all they needed to do was wait it out. He quoted astronaut Neil Armstrong, who once told them that he believed Concorde was as significant a technical achievement as putting a man on the moon. British airways could not simply throw all of that away. But Mike's arguments largely fell on deaf ears. In the end, the numbers spoke for themselves. And in April 2003, British Airways and air France jointly announced that they would both retire their Concorde fleets that fall. Mike had to accept that Concorde's time was coming to an end. But rather than mourn, he re channeled his energy into making sure that the plane got the send off she deserved. He was not the only one wanting to say goodbye to concorde in style. With six months of service remaining, ticket reservations soared. Alongside the wealthy, frequent fliers who were well used to the luxuries of supersonic travel Were thousands of more everyday people who had long dreamed of flying concorde and wanted to take the chance while they could. As a result, the last Concorde flights had a joyful atmosphere. They were full of first time passengers who were wowed by every aspect of the experience. The giddy speed, the fine dining, and the thrill of seeing the curvature of the earth from 50,000ft. So it was only in the last weeks of service that Concorde finally came close to achieving what its creators had imagined almost half a century earlier. It brought supersonic travel to the masses. And then, at last, on October 24, 2003, Concorde's final current commercial flights took off from JFK. 1 British Airways jet headed to London, and one air France jet went to Paris. Mike bannister was in command of the Concorde bound for heathrow. And as he brought the plane in to land, he saw huge crowds lining the streets around the airport, Hoping for one last glimpse of the great plane in flight. After consulting with air traffic control, Mike made a low pass over the area, Giving everyone on the ground the best possible view. It was a triumphant final bow that Concorde deserved. Over its three decades in service, Concorde.
- [37:48]
Lindsey Graham
Had made 500 million pounds in net.
- [37:51]
Mike Bannister
Profits for the privatized British airways. By contrast, the government owned Air France never managed to make a steady profit from its fleet of supersonic jets. To some, that contrast was proof that it was better to always keep government out of business. But others? Others pointed out that Concorde would never have existed at all without the French and British governments, and that many of the most painful and expensive reforms necessary to make Concorde a success actually took place before British Airways privatization in the 1980s. But whether it was in public or private hands, Concorde was always a revolutionary plane. It may not have transformed aviation in the ways its creators once hoped, but the supersonic jet they built was still a technological marvel, and one that is yet to be repeated. The modern world has been defined by huge technological leaps forward, but the disappearance of supersonic passenger jets from the sky is a rare example of a step backwards. More than two decades after Concorde's retirement, there is still no successor. Concorde was a dream. It seemed, at times impossible or illogical. It brought moments of delight and, tragically, moments of terror. But like any dream, ultimately it couldn't last. From Wonder E this is the fourth episode of Sonic Boom and Bust for Business Movers. In the next episode, historian Dr. Keith McLaughlin discusses how the aviation industry evolved during Concord's career in the skies and what the future may hold for supersonic travel.
- [39:24]
Lindsey Graham
If you like business movers, you can unlock exclusive episodes found nowhere else on Wondery plus and access new episodes early and ad free. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a survey@wondery.com survey.
- [39:46]
Mike Bannister
If you'd like to learn more about Concord, we recommend the book Concord by Mike Bannister, the BBC documentary A Supersonic Story, and the website Heritage Concord. A quick note about our dramatizations in most cases, we can't know everything that happened, but all our reenactments are based on historical research. Business Movers is hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship Audio editing by Mohammad Shaziban Sound design by Gabriel Gould Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written and researched by Emma Dibdin. Executive producers are William Simpson for airship and Erin O'Flaherty, Jenny Lauer Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wandering.
- [40:32]
C
In a quiet suburb, a community is shattered by the death of a beloved wife and mother. But this tragic loss of life quickly turns into something even darker. Her husband had tried to hire a hitman on the dark web to kill her, and she wasn't the only target, because buried in the depths of the Internet is the Kill List, a cache of chilling documents containing names, photos, addresses and specific instructions for people's murders. This podcast is the true story of how I ended up in a race against time to warn those who lives were in danger. And it turns out convincing a total stranger someone wants them dead is not easy. Follow Kill List on the Wandery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Kill List and more. Exhibit C True crime shows like Morbid, early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Check out Exhibit C in the Wandery app for all your true crime listening.