Supersonic travel becomes reality: the 49th anniversary of Concorde entering service

Credit: BAE Systems

This week in 1976, British Airways and Air France launched the world’s first commercial supersonic passenger services. British Airways’ G-BOAA flew to Bahrain, while Air France’s Concorde F-BVFA travelled to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar.

This achievement came with its share of challenges, particularly with route restrictions in the United States.

However, on February 4th, two weeks after Concorde began its commercial travel, the then US Transportation Secretary, William Coleman provided a breakthrough – granting both airlines a 16-month trial: two daily flights to New York and one to Washington.

This historic moment marked the beginning of a new era in air travel with unmatched speed and efficiency.