On 22 November 1977, Air France’s Concorde inaugurated the Paris-New York service, landing at JFK airport for the very first time.
Air France used the Concorde on routes to Rio de Janeiro, Caracas and Washington DC. New York was then meant to be the last destination served by Air France’s “big white bird”. However, under pressure from local residents and ecological activists, John F Kennedy Airport decided to ban the Concorde, as it was too noisy. 18 months later, following an assessment of the anti-noise procedures implemented by both Air France and British Airways, the Supreme Court cancelled the decision.
On 22 November 1977, the Air France Concorde landed in New York for the very first time. Flying at an altitude of 17,000 metres (over 55,000 feet) and a speed of almost 2,200 km/h, the airliner could cross the Atlantic in just 3 hours and 39 minutes.
“As gracious as a glider, the Concorde appears to scare off the swarm of TV and police helicopters that hastily scatter. In the air traffic control tower where the press are gathered, every single journalist applauds”