Concorde group loss warning

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 9

Concorde group loss warning

NZPA-Reuter New York) Air France and British I Airways yesterday argued) that they would lose more) than S3M over the next; three months if legal action) held up landing rights at I New York for their super-; sonic concorde airliner. But the Port Authority of) New York, which is fighting) a United States Federal) judge’s decision in favour of) Concorde’s landing at Ken-) nedy Airport, said it could I suffer irreparable damage if) Concorde services began on; schedule. It cited the possibility of law suits by people living near Kennedy Airport who say that the plane’s noise would be intolerable and could damage their houses. Both the airlines and the port authority were submitting legal arguments on the eve of a hearing today at the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. The airlines want the immediate implementation of the judge’s decision to allow Concorde to land at New York for a 16-month trial. The port authority is seeking a stay of the decision pending the outcome of its legal appeal. A decision in such an appeal could take as long as eight months, according to legal scources. The port authority has already refused for more than a year to allow Concorde to land at Kennedy Airport. Air France said it would

lose at least 52.5 M over the next three months if Concorde were barred from New York during the appeal : period. In Paris, Air France has i announced that it lost S47M jin operating the Concorde Hast year. With losses on subsonic i business, the airlines over lall loss for 1976 was S66M. i Air France, in which the French State has a 99 per jcent shareholding has said it I hopes to reduce its operlational losses on Concorde if the- Franco-British jet is allowed to operate on the Paris-New York route. British Airways has celebrated its first year of flights by the Concorde between London and Washington with a statement that the planes are flying up to 92 per cent full. It is said to be losing SISM a year on Concorde.