- Title: FRANCE: AIR FRANCE'S LAST CONCORDE SERVICE HAS ARRIVED IN TOULOUSE
- Date: 27th June 2003
- Summary: (EU) BLAGNAC AIRPORT, NEAR TOULOUSE, FRANCE (JUNE 27, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LV CONCORDE ARRIVING AND LANDING ON TARMAC 0.36 2. SLV/SV CONCORD ON TARMAC/PILOTS WAVING FROM CABIN (2 SHOTS) 1.05 3. LV JOURNALISTS AND FANS WAITING 1.09 4. MCU (English) AIRBUS PRESIDENT NOEL FORGEARD SAYING: "Well, its a very moving day obviously, with such a great symbol and such a nice landing here. Its also great Franco-British accomplishment. Yes, I am sad but its not the last page in the book: we have the (Airbus) 380 coming." 1.31 5. SV OFFICIALS DESCENDING FROM PLANE AND SHAKING HANDS WITH MAYOR OF TOULOUSE 1.44 6. MCU (English) AIR FRANCE PRESIDENT JEAN-CYRIL SPINETTA SAYING: "Well, it will be in a museum in Toulouse. There will be one in Paris, one in Washington, one in Toulouse and one in Germany, so all Air Frances Concorde will be in museums worldwide. All the people that love aircraft will be able to go and admire the Concorde worldwide. That was my target, we achieved this target and I am very happy and proud of this achievement." 2.12 7. SLV CONCORDE ON TARMAC 2.21 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th July 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BLAGNAC AIRPORT, NEAR TOULOUSE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA1P4KAD8JIV3G9NRBXGL0CK4H6
- Story Text: Air France's last Concorde service has arrived in
Toulouse returning to its birthplace for the final time.
Sealing the end of an era, the Concorde landed at
Blagnac airport, near Toulouse, southwestern France on Friday
(June 27).
The plane left from Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport
and landed on time in Toulouse at 13:15 local time (1115GMT).
Upon arrival of the Concorde, the pilots reached out of
the cockpit to wave at the thousands of fans.
Thousands of Airbus staff took time off work to see the
last Concorde land, many clapped as it touched down.
The crew and around 60 guests on board sipped champagne
and shed tears as the plane made its last journey which lasted
about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Airbus president Noel Forgeard stressed that it was a very
moving day but that it was not the last page of the book
because of the arrival of the Airbus A380.
"Well, its a very moving day obviously, with such a great
symbol and such a nice landing here. It's also great
Franco-British accomplishment. Yes, I am sad but its not the
last page in the book : we have the 380 coming."
The President of Air France Jean-Cyril Spinetta said that
the flight had been very emotional for everybody on board and
added that Air France donated its Concorde's to the air museum
being built by planemaker Airbus in Toulouse, to the U.S.
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, the Technik
Museum in Speyer, Germany.
"It will be in a museum in Toulouse. There will be one in
Paris, one in Washington, one in Toulouse and one in Germany,
so all Air Frances Concorde will be in museums worldwide. All
the people that love aircraft will be able to go and admire
the Concorde worldwide. That was my target, we achieved this
target and I am very happy and proud of this achievement," he
said.
The Concorde will go on display to the public in front of
Airbus factory where the new superjumbo aircraft the A380
which will be worlds biggest passenger plane ever is to be
assembled.
The Concorde which landed in Toulouse went into service in
August 1976 and spent 14,000 hours in the air with Air France.
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