[MartynSinclair]

On that basis we may as well hang the flags of Iraq, Iran and Syria alongside the Emirates A380, all of whom Britain has been associated with in the past (and to some in the present as well)

Lets forget shall we, that this is the UK, where there is sufficient history and industrial pride that can be shown off without the need to display other national emblems more prominently than our own.

I am all for “entente coridal”, but I strongly object to our national assets being sold causing the Union Jack (albeit the BA version) to be replaced by another countries emblem at the gateway to London Heathrow. Yes VK, there is a conflict, especially where that conflict deflects from the pride of Britain

I presume, VK you would be in favour of sponsorship on the Royal Carriage for Kate and William’s wedding and the flag of Saudi flying on the Abbey (for the right price of course).

Read the Beano VK, more up your street, Roger the Dodger springs to mind!

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Don’t waste your breath Martyn, you are talking to someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

The union flag should be on display at the gateway.

To many abroad, the jack stands for fairness and principle, hardly the perceived core values of some other countries.

[NTarrant]

Disgusted – I agree that Spitfires et al are being preserved and are indeed flying. Concorde on the other hand is a different beast to a Spitfire in technology terms. Both Spitfires and Concorde have a place in the British history and should rightly preserved. Neither should be trivialised, both have lead developments in other aircraft we use today. Oh and if you want to see a model of a Spitfire at the entrance to an airport, go to Southampton.

I understand where you are coming from Martyn, but you are confusing commercial advertising space with space in a park or the like.Remember that passengers travelling from T4 or T5 or T1 and T3 from HEX or Tube won’t even see the Emirates A380.

I would advocate the use of the roundabout at T5 for a Concorde model or there abouts, it is more appropriate given T5 is BA.

[dutchyankee]

I too was dissappointed when the model of Concorde was replaced by the Emirates A380. I think we can all understand business is business and if BA didn’t want to pay for the placement any longer, so be it, but I fully agree (even as a non-Brit, but big fan of all things British) that such a gateway entrance should reflect Britain, and not the UAE or any other nation for that matter. The Concorde model would be perfect at T5, and rightly so. Just on another note regarding BAA and marketing, how do you think BA feel with Virgin ads all over Terminal 5. One would think being the sole tenant could have some say as to what advertising can and can’t be placed, but once again business is business! I hope BA advertises at every gate Virgin uses in T3!

[Bullfrog]

@dutchyankee

I have not seen Virgin’s advertising at T5.

One could argue that it is a total waste of money. Passengers at T5 have already booked to fly BA & ignored all other Virgin advertising.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

NTarrant

I do agree with preserving at least one example of a Concorde, for the reasons you state.

I think we should preserve EVERY Spitfire and keep as many in flying condition as possible.

Thus my view that this particular Concorde can be recycled.

[robsmith100]

I am sure BA would much prefer a Middle Eastern carrier on the entrance of LHR than a Virgin aircraft. I am very much surprised Branson didn’t take up the opportunity to put his mark here after it was vacated by BA as a publicity gimmick or marketing ploy.

Martyn you are right in your arguments in the fact UK show should case more British achievements and placing the Concorde on the LHR would be a welcome site not only for the British public but also visitors to the country. Then again to look at it a different way is the display of a Concorde really an achievement of commercial aviation? As it’s now completely defunct product and not even superseded by any thing better… any thoughts on this?

In regard to selling of British assets to foreign countries/companies I suspect these are not entirely true and these are longer term leases than a full sale or the country still retains some kind of share hold in the asset.

VK is also correct in the fact that, BA and the BAA are all private companies and will always take the best offer. Would you sell you home to a British person who offered you less or a foreigner who offered you the asking price or more?

[dutchyankee]

@Bullfrog, there are plenty of them, but like you say, everyone in T5 is flying BA so probably (hopefully) the ads are ignored. It is even so far as plush toys of 747’s in both BA and Virgin colors being sold in Duty Free at T5.

[VintageKrug]

It’s mostly over at T5B.

[GulfSelfLoadingFreight]

It seems that BA (W.Walsh) has broken the undertaking it made to display the Concorde outside Terminal 5. Should BA not wish to display the former pride of the BA fleet, I would suggest that Alpha Bravo is donated to the Kingdom of Bahrain in acknowledgement of the valuable resources that island kingdom provided in the pre-commercial trials (hot weather) back in August 1974 when Concorde 202 (G-BBDG) spent that month operating out of Bahrain. I was very fortunate to have been a ‘volunteer’ passenger on one of the flights from Bahrain when she was undergoing ‘Hot Soaks’.I still have the schedule & associated documents for the trials along with the special insurance indeminity documents as she was still yet to receive her full CofA for commercial operation. The presence of the aircraft raised Bahrain’s presence in the world considerably at the time. It has always been held in the affections of the Bahraini’s as the Concorde was to fly to Bahrain in January 1976, with the continuing service to Singapore on the Singapore Airlines code share. I note that a number of countries/destinations that claim some association with the aircraft however I am unclear on the claims that Manchester/Edinburgh have on Concorde, apart from the ‘Round the Bay’ trips rather than scheduled services (other than the occasional ‘Shuttle’ when a Concorde was slipped in to the schedule due to fleet changes in the early ’80’s with the Trident retirements. There must have been a few very happy fliers who turned up at the ramp to find that they were on a Concorde rather than a Trident!).
Bahrain certainly has more claim given its part in the Heat Trials as well as having a commercial service for several years, then some of the other places where Concordes find their final resting place.

[VintageKrug]

I have never seen or heard any such undertaking by anyone at BA to display Concorde in or near T5….? When was this “undertaking” given?

I think it would be BAAplc’s ultimate decision anyway, as they own both the terminal and the land on which it might be sited.

If you’re interested in the Concorde in Bahrain story, there is an interesting documentary which I saw posted elsewhere:

http://www.spokenword.ac.uk/record_view.php?pbd=gcu-a0a7z2-a

[PETERTHOMPSON3]

BIG BIRDS GONE,BE SEEN NO MORE.DISTINCTIVE SHAPE AND THUNDEROUS ROAR.GONE FOREVER FROM OUR SKIES,THE SIGHT AND SOUND THAT RAISED OUR EYES TO THE HEAVENS.
BIG BIRDS GONE,WITH FOLDED WINGS AND HEAD HUNG LOW,WHAT COMES NEXT,WHERE WILL HE GO?HIS LIKE WILL NE’ER BE SEEN AGAIN,BIG BIRDS GONE,WE MISS HIM SO.
Says me 24th October 2004

[Deleted_User]

Hello Peter

I went to school with someone with the same name, and as the world is now such a small place, who knows?

Simon

Edited: I’m intrigued by the date! Does a certain Grammar School ring a bell?

[PETERTHOMPSON3]

Hi Simon,
Thanks for the reply,i did go to grammar school in Surrey but that was a lot of years ago.We are close to the Heathrow flightpath and looked forward most nights around 7pm to seeing Big Bird take off in our direction and turn in a huge circle before heading north and across the pond.
I think that he should be on show at T5,but as said before the moneymen at BAA would want a fortune,i wonder what the A380 chaps pay??
Take care
Pete

[Deleted_User]

Good afternoon Pete

I’m afraid you are not the same Peter Thompson I went to school with!

Now that Concorde is no longer flying, I don’t think it’s appropriate to put it on display at Heathrow. Much better than the ugly beast (A380) would be BA’s new 787?

Have a great weekend

Simon

[Author]

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