This will get ugly

[Hagar]

We've discussed all this before at some length. If I remember correctly, Airbus withdrew their spares backup. Without that there was no possible way it could continue in service. Branson's offer was never realistic.

[Craig.]

Also, what happened to Branson's offer? Is he still keen?

Nope, he would never have gotten them. I have to be careful on this one as some people here know i am very opiniated on this subject
Airbus wouldnt supply the parts, it would have cost way too much, Concorde needed two operators, Air France refused and two british operators would have failed. She has now been fully retired, and will never fly again. And while its a shame thats the case, at least she has been given a proper retirement rather than being thrown into a desert.

[Hagar]

BA would have sent every one of their Concordes to the scrapyard to be destroyed before they would let Branson have them.

[eno]

But why did BA's concordes go out of service, they could'v kept them in couldn't they?, There was no law stopping them was there?

Also, what happened to Branson's offer? Is he still keen?

The rug was pulled out from under BA by the French who persuaded the French companies involved in the servicing of all Concordes, in one way or another, to pull the plug. The French Concordes had suffered more after the combination of the accident and 9/11.  BA although still struggling had managed to start to claw back some of the expence involved in getting Concorde back in the air and would have continued to fly the aircraft as it was the only part of BA that, prior to the Paris accident  was making money.

[Craig.]

Of course, but since they bought the planes from the government, it was up to them entirely where they ended up:)
Thats why Branson went after the air france airframes, too bad he's too stupid to realise he would have ended up with a bunch of lemons Plus with all the help BA gave to AF in its final few months, me thinks they were in  AF's ear asking them to not give Branson the plane.

[Hagar]

[quote]Plus with all the help BA gave to AF in its final few months, me thinks they were in

[forfun]

Yea, i noticed Air Frances aircraft are always in such a shi*ty condition. Dirty and screwed up, :
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/145289/L/

[Hagar]

When linking to a photo on Anet maybe you could use the short link at the top of the page. http://www.airliners.net/open.file/145289/L/

That long URL throws the whole thread out of kilter.

[forfun]

lol sorry, fixed it now

[Craig.]

I think this is quite obvious. I still don't understand your apparent hatred of Branson or your loyalty to BA. To my way of thinking BA's business methods under Lord King were always questionable if not downright illegal.

I have no Loyalty to BA, infact i have only ever flown with them once and then i was only 2. I do agree they have used some very shady tactics over the years. I just dont like Branson, i think he is an idiot. He does what he thinks is the most outrageous thing possible just to get publicity, that to me states he doesnt think his product is good enough to sell on its own merits. His Plans for Concorde involved having slogans plastered down the side about he beat BA, now i am sorry but that is both tackey and dis-respectful. He wanted to fly it to Australia, OK and how many fuel stops and sub-sonic sectors was he going to have the plane fly?

Add to that the guy offering

[forfun]

Lol, Bransons wierd.

He started a new airline in NZ/AUstralia called "Pacific Blue" with 2 737-800's, one of which i can see out of my window now. I don't think it'l last, i mean, people would rather fly freedom air on a short flight to Aussie.

But there's no reason to hate him, you' neva met him, he can't have got to where he is by being an idiot.

[Craig.]

ok fair enough, i dont hate him. I just dont like him. true he isnt an idiot. He's a clever idiot:)

[Hagar]

I suggest that Richard Branson is far more intelligent than you give him credit for. Nobody could do what he's done, despite the BA management doing their best to force him out of business (just as they had done with Freddie Laker) without a great deal of flair & business acumen. Good luck to him I say.

[quote]Add to that the guy offering

[forfun]

Who do you work for Hagar? What is your company?

[Hagar]

Who do you work for Hagar? What is your company?

I'm retired. Nobody outside the business would recognise the name of the company I worked for.