BA keeps Concorde target despite attack

British Airways has said it still plans to resume Concorde passenger flights next month, despite attacks on the United States…

British Airways has said it still plans to resume Concorde passenger flights next month, despite attacks on the United States that have paralysed the global air industry.

Airlines throughout the world have had to cut thousands of jobs after hijacked planes crashed into New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon, leading to chaos at airports and fears of a slump in the tourism sector.

British and French authorities cleared the way earlier this month for a resumption of the supersonic service, after Concorde was grounded last year when an Air France plane crashed near Paris, killing 113 people.

Government regulators have approved a number of safety modifications to the world's only civil supersonic airliner. Once these have been carried out, the authorities can reinstate the airlines' right to fly.

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A BA spokeswoman declined to say whether the airline would be forced to raise prices on the Concorde service to offset an expected slump in demand following the US attacks.

British Airways has signalled it will follow rivals such as Virgin Atlantic in cutting transatlantic flights and jobs, and the airline has held talks with the British government over obtaining financial aid.

Shares in BA were down 2.6 per cent to 169-1/2 pence by 11.25 a.m. The stock has declined by around 35 per cent since the US attacks.