In a special Key Publishing magazine on Concorde, aircraft charterer Norman Gilham recalls his experience on one such flight from London to Sydney and back during which a number of world records were achieved
For many, flying in the lap of luxury aboard the Aérospatiale/British Aircraft Corporation Concorde was nothing more than a pipe dream. However, the advent of aircraft chartering meant that for the first time, the type’s all-First Class cabin, normally the domain of the rich and famous, was suddenly within reach of those who could not afford a standard ticket. In 1986 alone, Air France operated around 70 charters while British Airways exceeded 200, making more than £12 million in the process. The Cunard Line shipping company in particular was a major customer, leasing the supersonic jet to transfer passengers to the MS Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) cruise ship. One such flight, between the UK and Australia, provided enthusiast and frequent Concorde charterer Norman Gilham (see panel) with the opportunity to make history. He, along with four other British passengers, joined 90 travellers from the US who were visiting the UK as part of a round-the-world luxury holiday. The group had arrived from New York severa…
