Concorde landed in Nairobi in 1988 and the passengers got motorcycle escorts, game drives and champagne on the African plains
Published on Mar 15, 2026 at 6:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Mar 13, 2026 at 2:39 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Nearly 40 years ago, Concorde landed in Nairobi, Kenya and created what is probably one of the most effective marketing campaigns ever.
Passengers were treated like royalties, and it must’ve been an unforgettable experience.
Then again it had to be.
Considering how much they actually paid for this ticket.
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Why Concorde is such a legend
People talk about Concorde the same way they’d talk about a long-lost treasure or a deity, and there are several reasons for this.
All those facts and myths about its price, the bottomless champagne, and obviously its speed.
But, if we had to pick one key point, we’d probably argue that the main reason people ‘miss’ Concorde almost as if it were a person is that it represents a gigantic leap backwards – not forwards – technologically.
That’s almost unheard of.
We can’t think of many human-made things in history that have been replaced by something ‘worse’, not better.
More importantly, we can’t think of any other human-made mode of transport that’s been replaced by something slower.
Concorde was introduced in the 1970s and it was then retired about 20 years ago.
From cars to trains and boats – no other means of transport today is slower than it was 50 years ago.
But this is the exception: an airplane from 50 years ago that’s significantly faster than a modern airliner.
Strange.
The story behind the plane’s visit to Nairobi
In 1988, British Airways and Air France organized a 23-day around-the-world tour aboard the world’s only supersonic airliner.
Nairobi was one of the stops, and it must’ve been spectacular for everyone on board.
British Airways Concorde (G-BOAF) touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya and, as part of the experience, passengers were greeted by a motorcycle escort, cheetahs, and of course champagne.
This was technically a chartered flight, not a regularly scheduled flight, and so the price was even higher.
We’re talking about £5,000 at the time which, in today’s money, is around $15,000-$16,000.
Key milestones in Concorde’s supersonic story
1956: UK and France begin discussions for a supersonic passenger aircraft
1962: Official Anglo-French treaty signed to develop Concorde
1969: First prototype takes flight in Toulouse
1973: Concorde hits Mach 2 for the first time during testing
1976: First commercial flights launched with British Airways and Air France
1985: Concorde used for transatlantic VIP trips and iconic charters
1996: Fastest transatlantic crossing set – New York to London in 2h 52m
2003: Final commercial Concorde flight marks the end of supersonic travel
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After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
