When Concorde first landed in Hong Kong, in November 1976
The supersonic airliner that would later crash in Paris, ending the Concorde era, arrived in Hong Kong 41 years ago with, among its passengers, a certain Mrs Marcos on a shopping trip from Manila
“The Anglo-French supersonic airliner Concorde will land at Kai Tak on November 6 and stay for two days as part of a 31,000-mile promotional sales tour of the Far East,” the South China Morning Post reported on October 8, 1976.
British Airways’ public relations manager, Ted Duggan, had earlier been quoted in the paper describing Concorde as “the second largest technology project undertaken in the Western world after the American moonwalk”.
In the event, the plane arrived a day early, carrying a VIP passenger. “The supersonic age hit Hongkong yesterday – not with a bang, as many expected, but with a whisper,” ran the headline on November 6. “Concorde […] arrived from Manila on a demonstration flight with Mrs Imelda Marcos, wife of the Philippine President, as special guest. While the aircraft stopped over before returning to the Philippines, the First Lady found time to do some shopping.” For shoes, perhaps.
Thousands had crowded the airport terminal building for a glimpse of the “pelican-like” jet, the Post reported.