French, British airlines set Nov. 7 for resumption of Concorde

PARIS -- Fifteen months after the Concorde was grounded because of a deadly crash, Air France and British Airways are resuming flights to New York City.

The sleek, needle-nosed aircraft -- revamped to address safety concerns after the July 25, 2000, crash that killed 113 people -- will return to the skies Nov. 7, the companies said Monday. Air France started selling Concorde tickets on Monday, and British Airways was to begin today.

Both carriers said the decision reflected confidence about the industry's ability to overcome the crisis stemming from the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The two carriers grounded their fleets after an Air France Concorde crashed in the Paris suburb of Gonesse -- its first crash in 31 years in service.

Trailing flames from its wings, the airliner plunged into a hotel minutes after taking off from Charles de Gaulle airport, killing 109 people on board and four on the ground.

Investigators say a stray strip of metal on the runway punctured one of the jet's tires, propelling bits of rubber into the fuel tank and starting a fire.