New Yorkers welcome noise relief

By Matt Wells BBC, John F Kennedy International Airport, New York

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as BA flight 002 pushed back off its stand, beginning its journey into aviation history.

British Airways staff in New York saw the Concorde off

For this Anglo-French supersonic endeavour, it became a rather Anglo-American affair in the final minutes.

The senior officers in Concorde's cockpit waved two flags out of the side windows: the British Union Flag and the Stars & Stripes.

As the familiar needle-nose began to taxi elegantly along the runway, jets of red, white and blue dyed water gushed overhead from a pair of fire trucks, like a triumphal arch.

Dozens of excitable journalists, airline staff and onlookers gathered on the roof of Terminal 7, here at Kennedy Airport, and felt a glow of pride, emotion, or just plain exhilaration.

For a large part, the plane itself was also full of excitable journalists.

Perhaps the biggest names on board were two veterans of Concorde travel who have criss-crossed the Atlantic more times than most: Sir David Frost and Joan Collins.

The last two seats on the flight were allocated this week following a charity auction.

The winning bid came from David Hayes of Toledo, Ohio, who paid $60,300.

As one of the most beautiful machines ever made glided off on its final commercial voyage through the frosty autumn air, many here in New York were not shedding a tear.

Difficult parting

For those jet-setters in Manhattan who love the beauty and speed, it has been a difficult parting.

One well-heeled businesswoman heading into Kennedy Airport last night, summed it up: "When you want to get home to New York for dinner, it is a wonderful way to fly."

New Yorkers stopped to watch the Concorde leave for last time

But while the international press and Concorde lovers waved off the final flight at around 0730 local time, there were plenty of local people simultaneously toasting its departure with a very different emotion.

"At long last, we'll be rid of this headache," said the congressman who represents the JFK airport area, Anthony Weiner.

He and dozens of other residents nearby who have been living with the noise of the supersonic wonder these past 27 years, were drinking champagne together in a local park.

Concorde guzzles around three times more fuel than the average Boeing 747, and with its sonic boom, it makes quite a racket over land.

People in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn under its flight path have complained of intense window rattle, car alarms going off repeatedly, and even cracks in the brickwork.

`Good riddance'

Another local politician who has organised protests against Concorde here in the past is Lew Simon.

"Goodbye, good riddance and good luck," was his terse homily.

Apart from the photogenic celebrations organised around the terminal roof, there has not been that much interest taken around the city in this historic departure.

This is possibly an indicator of the ambivalence which many Americans have always felt towards what was a very European achievement.

Back when Concorde was a baby, Americans were basking in the glory of a bigger and more expensive national adventure - the Apollo space programme.

Passengers included journalists, businessmen and celebrities

The departure boards in BA's First Class lounge pointed to the fact that today's flight would be celebrated more convincingly on the other side of the Atlantic.

Despite the months of planning, BA 002 was misleadingly advertised to leave at 0900 hours, causing a few reporters and passengers a moment of sudden panic.

Whether happy or sad, Kennedy Airport will certainly be that little bit duller, following the departure of its most glamorous frequent-flyer.