David Rowell has an interesting column on the economics of Concorde. In light of the announcements by British Airways and Air France to end Concorde service, it’s an important piece.

Sir Richard Branson wants to make a go of the Concorde, and Rowell seems to think that Branson could make it work. At the very least the article makes short shrift of BA’s arguments why Concorde can’t work.

While I’d normally side with an airline’s refusal to sell its assets, the conventional recollection is that BA got the fleet for one British pound, with the understanding that if anyone else wanted to operate the planes later they would be given that opportunity. BA now seems to be reneging on that condition.

I’m not nearly as sanguine about Concorde’s economics as Rowell is, but Virgin should certainly be given the shot to find out who’s right.