Northern Hills Homeowner's Association

Concorde charter trip set for S.A.

Feb 18, 2001

By Sig Christenson Express-News Staff Writer

The supersonic Concorde, grounded since a fiery crash last summer in Paris that left 113 people dead, might fly out of San Antonio International Airport later this year ?— a first for the Alamo City.
A St. Louis travel agency revealed Sunday it would charter a Concorde flight out of San Antonio in early June, refuel in New York and fly on to London.
Peter Zimmermann, executive vice president at Montclair Travel, touted the flight as an adventure and expressed confidence in the plane, which has undergone modifications since its grounding in the wake of the July 25 crash.
''As you probably know, the Concorde has flown over 50,000 supersonic flights without incident,'' he said. ''So the aircraft is inherently safe, and of course the current modifications that are being undertaken will make the aircraft even safer.''

Prices for the charter package, which includes the Concorde flight, five nights in London at a five-star hotel, tours and a cruise to New York aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, range from $6,999 to $15,000 per person, double occupancy.
It will be the Concorde's first flight to San Antonio International ?— if it can handle the plane.
Airport spokeswoman Laura Guerrero said a Concorde has never stopped at the airport. She also cast doubt on whether the plane will arrive there, saying it needs just 7,300 feet to land but requires 11,200 feet to take off.
The airport's main runway is 8,502 feet long, she said.
Zimmermann, however, said British Airways and Air France specify that Concordes can land and take off on runways 7,500 feet long.
A previous Concorde visit to San Antonio, made during a 1991 trip here by Queen Elizabeth II, saw the plane land and take off at Kelly AFB.
Plans call for the Concorde to fly out of New York after a subsonic trip from Texas on June 1. If Montclair Travel can't sign up enough people from South Texas for the flight, it would fly the jet out of New York.
The Texas charter flight was booked in much the same way as Flight AF 4590, when the Concorde crashed in July.
A German firm, Deilmann Shipping Co., booked at least 99 passengers who were killed when the Concorde caught fire and plunged to the ground about 90 seconds after takeoff.

(Editor's note:) Actually, a Concorde did land at San Antonio Airport in 1978. for that story, go to the other Newsletter story.