Concorde's record-holding transatlantic flight completed in under 3 hours

Concorde, the world’s premier supersonic passenger aircraft, was introduced by British Airways and Air France. Both airlines launched Concorde services in 1976, expanding over the years to include routes such as London to Bahrain and Paris to Rio de Janeiro. Despite its operational success, only 20 Concorde airframes were ever built, and the aircraft was used predominantly for transatlantic flights to mitigate the impact of sonic booms.

Concorde's luxury required deep pockets; tickets cost around $12,000. The aircraft accommodated high-profile passengers such as Queen Elizabeth II and Mick Jagger. Other notable features included a cruising altitude of 60,000 feet, enabling views of Earth's curvature, and a unique delta-wing design that demanded a steep landing approach.

Despite its success, Concorde suffered a fatal accident on July 25, 2000, when an Air France flight crashed, resulting in the loss of 113 lives. This tragedy was attributed to debris on the runway damaging the aircraft's fuel tank. Both British Airways and Air France later resumed service with additional safety modifications, but public confidence waned, leading to its retirement in 2003.

Concorde was ultimately retired due to decreasing demand, high operational costs, and environmental concerns related to carbon emissions and sonic booms. Although it no longer flies, surviving Concorde aircraft are displayed in museums worldwide.