London, Oct 22: From royalty to pop stars, tycoons to supermodels, if you're rich, famous or just in a hurry, Concorde has been the only way to jet across the Atlantic in style for more than a quarter of a century. Most of the supersonic plane's blue leather seats were filled by businessmen and investment bankers, who could make the three-and-a-half-hour trip from London to New York, sign a deal and make it back in time for dinner.
The most frequent flyer of Concorde, which retires from commercial service on Friday, is the US oil tycoon Fred Finn, who has clocked up about 70 transatlantic round trips a year. But the men in suits were always upstaged by stars from the world of show business who queued up to quaff champagne and nibble on caviar while shuttling across the Atlantic faster than a rifle bullet.
A last plane load of VIPs and frequent flyers will cram into Concorde's final passenger flight on Friday under British Airways, resting their rears where more than a few celebrities have been before. Former Beatle Paul McCartney once famously played the guitar aboard Concorde one Christmas, sparking an impromptu singalong among the well-heeled passengers.
Fellow band member, the late George Harrison, once gave a spur-of-the-moment concert at the Concorde departure lounge in New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
Other high-flyers to have warmed Concorde's seats include Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as such pop stars as Mick Jagger, Sting and Elton John. Bureau Report