The Concorde was a British-French supersonic passenger airliner, a marvel of engineering that symbolised a new era of air travel. Conceived in the 1960s, it was the product of a collaboration between the British Aircraft Corporation and France's Aérospatiale. The Concorde made its maiden flight on 2 March 1969 and entered commercial service in 1976. With a cruising speed of Mach 2, it could cut transatlantic flight times between London or Paris and New York to just over three hours.

The Concorde became an icon of luxury and technological prowess, used primarily by British Airways and Air France. However, its high operational costs, noise concerns, and limited range restricted its appeal. The tragic crash of Air France Flight 4590 in 2000, coupled with economic factors, led to its retirement in 2003. Despite its short-lived service, the Concorde remains a symbol of ambition and the pinnacle of aviation innovation.