The world's fastest and arguably the most iconic passenger aircraft of all time, Concorde, gave passengers a taste of supersonic flight for nearly three decades. Its speed was a blessing for many super busy (and wealthy) business travelers who enjoyed the short hop over the Atlantic and for transporting important cargo such as supplies and organs for transplant during medical emergencies.

With a top speed of up to 1,354 mph (2,179 kph), the supersonic jet could make the transatlantic journey between London Heathrow and New York JFK in about three hours. For many, flying on the Concorde and experiencing such speed was a momentous occasion. However, that same speed was not well received by people on the ground, leading some countries to ban supersonic flights.

Challenges from the start

Even before Concorde took to the skies commercially, there were voices of dissent against its environmental consequences. In 1966, British environmental activist Richard Wiggs founded the Anti-Concorde Project, which challenged the idea of any supersonic transport aircraft.

The booms of the sonic tests leading up to the first test flight of Concorde would often startle people and cause windows to crack. To highlight the long-term effects of a supersonic jetliner, Wiggs used mass-media advertising campaigns, including full-page advertisements in the national press. He claimed the Concorde affected the ozone layer and drew attention to its noise levels.

A British Airways Concorde landing at Boston Logan International.
Photo: British Airways

By the time Concorde was launched, many countries were convinced that the plane was not a good choice to fly over land and was suitable for supersonic flights only over water. This left little choice for potential Concorde customers regarding network expansion using the jet.

The sonic boom produced when the aircraft broke the sound barrier (even at 60,000 ft) attracted numerous protests at airports and picket lines at some runways. In 1972, when the aircraft landed at Sydney airport, it was welcomed by a group of demonstrators, calling for the Concorde to be banned in the region.

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Initial ban in the US

Concorde began scheduled flights on 21 January 1976, and not long after that, the US Congress banned the aircraft from landing in the territory due to citizen protests and noise pollution concerns. On 11 March 1976, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey banned Concorde from landing at JFK Airport.

Protests had started a year before the official ban when around 2,000 cars stopped traffic near the airport. Concorde's opposition claimed that the jet was the noisiest aircraft in service and would counter all the efforts to ensure stricter noise standards.

British Airways and Air France found the ban baseless and filed a lawsuit in 1977. In August 1977, a District Court Judge in New York found the ban "discriminatory and unfair" and allowed Concorde test landings in the following ten days. In October 1977, the Supreme Court finally lifted the ban stating that the Port Authority was "dragging its feet" with the ban not based on any precise noise requirements.

The US Secretary of Transportation allowed Concorde to operate flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). However, Air France discontinued its service to the airport in 1982, while British Airways stopped in 1994 due to low demand.

Opposition in Malaysia and India

Before the US ban was lifted and slots were awarded at JFK, both Air France and British Airways began looking at other destinations to use their new Concordes. BA wanted to deploy the supersonic jet between London and Sydney and was looking for a stopover city for refueling. Singapore seemed a suitable choice.

The airline was already running a thrice-weekly service to Bahrain, so it extended the service to Singapore as the next stage. However, the flight to Singapore met with massive opposition in Malaysia over the plane's supersonic boom. The service had to be stopped after just three flights.

An Air France Concorde taking off.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Crossing India to reach Singapore was also a suitable option for BA, but that country refused to allow the plane to fly at supersonic speed over its airspace. Many believe, however, that the real reason for Malaysia and India to deny Concorde entry was political, as both countries were trying to obtain essential slots at London Heathrow.

BA eventually figured out another route to Singapore, but it consumed so much fuel that the service ended on 1 November 1980, citing unprofitable operations. The aircraft, however, went on to fly for more than two decades after that before ceasing operations in 2003 with a final flight between London and New York.

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Other regions

Before the Concorde project came to life, researchers already knew the possible effects of the sonic boom from military aircraft testing. An aeronautics Engineer from the Swedish Aeronautical Research institution had already suggested in the 1960s that the aircraft's noise would not be widely accepted after taking to the skies.

In the early 1970s, the Anti-Concorde Project and opposition led to banning of commercial supersonic transport in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and West Germany. This meant that Concorde routes were restricted, making it even more infamous among airlines.

Although the technological marvel was not banned in the UK, many residents who lived close to Heathrow and around London often complained about the noise at take-off. Supersonic was super noisy, but it gave the aviation industry something to admire for years.

Did you ever hear the Concorde flying by? Was the noise produced a major concern? Let us know in the comments!