Which Airlines were interested in Concorde?
Several of the world’s major airline companies placed non-binding orders for Concorde aircraft but most of these backed out of any agreements to go ahead with any of the orders due to several factors (the crash of one of the Soviet Union’s supersonic aircraft, worries about environmental and noise pollution and cost of purchasing and operating to craft). The only two airlines that were left were Air France and British Airways, and that was probably largely due to the fact that the two countries built that aircraft. In total, 20 Concorde’s were built and 14 flew commercially, 7 for Air France and 7 for British Airways.
Here is the entire list of options and orders placed for Concorde by airlines, and cancellation dates:
Pan Am
June 3rd 1963: - Options for 6 aircraft – 3 from Aerospatiale / 3 from BAC (2 more later optioned)
January 31st 1973: - Cancelled
Air France
June 3rd 1963: - Options for 6 aircraft
BOAC (Later called British Airways)
June 3rd 1963: - Options for 6 aircraft
Continental
July 24th 1963: - Options for 3 aircraft from BAC
March 1973: - Cancelled
American Airlines
Oct.7th 1963: - Options for 4 aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973: – Cancelled
TWA
Oct.16th 1963: - Options for 4 aircraft from BAC
February 1973: - Cancelled
MEA/Air Liban
Dec.4th 1963: - Options for 2 aircraft from Aerospatiale
June 1973: - Cancelled
American Airlines
Jan.16th 1964: - Options for 2 more aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973: - Cancelled
Air France
Jan.30th 1964: - Declaration of Intention from Air France to purchase 8 aircraft from Aerospatiale
July 28th 1972: - Order for 4 aircraft confirmed
BOAC
April 14th 1964: - Declaration of Intention from to purchase 8 aircraft from BAC
July 28th 1972: - Order for 5 aircraft confirmed
QANTAS
March 19th 1964:- Options for 4 aircraft from BAC – Options never officially cancelled.
TWA
March 30th 1964:- Options for 2 more aircraft from BAC
February 1973:- Cancelled
Air India
July15th 1964:- Options for 2 aircraft from BAC
February 1975:- Cancelled
Japan Airlines
September 30th 1965:- Options for 3 aircraft from Aerospatiale
1973:- Cancelled
SABENA
December 1st 1975:- Options for 2 aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973:- Cancelled
Eastern Airlines
June 28th 1966: - Options for 2 aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973:- Cancelled
United Airlines
June 29th 1966:- Options for 6 aircraft from BAC
November 1972:- Cancelled
Pan AM
Jul. 24th 1966:- Options for 2 more aircraft – 1 from BAC & 1 from Aerospatiale
January 31st 1973:- Cancelled
Eastern Airlines
August 15th 1966:- Options for 2 more aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973:- Cancelled
Braniff
Septenber 1st 1966:- Options for 3 aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973:- Cancelled
Lufthansa
February 16th 1967: - Options for 3 aircraft from Aerospatiale
April 1973:- Cancelled
Air Canada
March 1st 1967:- Options for 4 aircraft from BAC
June 1972:- Cancelled
Easter Airlines
April 28th 1967:- Options for 2 more aircraft from Aerospatiale
February 1973:- Cancelled
CAAC
July 24th 1972:- Options for 2 aircraft from Aerospatiale
December 1979:- Cancelled
CAAC
August 28th 1972:- Options for 1 aircraft from BAC
February 1980:- Cancelled
Iran Air
October 8th 1972:- Options for1 aircraft from BAC, orders for 2 confirmed, then cancelled.
February 1980:- All orders and options cancelled
As the British-French consortium starting pitching Concorde to other airlines, Options and orders were placed. On 8th October 1972, Iran Air itself placed an order with the British Aircraft Corporation for two Concorde, plus one option. Yes indeed, Iran intended to own a fleet of Concorde’s.
It seems from some reports that the Iranians did this to please the French, who the Iranians had close relations with (and the exiled Ayatollah also lived in France at the time).
The first Concorde was due to be delivered to Iran at the end of 1976, with the second in early 1977 and the option for the third would have been delivered in 1978. One of the production planes which had been earmarked for Iran Air was 216 (Which later became G-BOAF), and this was later handed over to British Airways for £1
Amazingly though, Iran Air did actually operate a Concorde plane for a short while, after chartering a plane for occasional flights between Paris and Tehran. The orders for the Concorde planes were cancelled in April 1980, in the wake of the Iranian Revolution, also making Iran Air the last airline to cancel its Concorde orders. Quite possibly one of those “what if” moments. If oil rich Iran had retained their orders, and helped production limp along for another couple of years through the worldwide recession, could the other airlines have come back to complete their purchases when their economies recovered? Who knows?
I can’t blame Iran for cancelling their orders, as like most airlines at the time, Iran Air was more a symbol of national identity, and the Concorde’s were most certainly toys for the Shah rather than aircraft for his people. Still, it’s a pity nonetheless.
Incidentally, Singapore Airlines also chartered Concorde’s for a few flights, as did a US firm, Braniff International Airways.