trium16, the following may say things you already know. Apologies if so. The reasons for BA not selling Conc are well rehearsed here in the past months. Probably the key factor is that Airbus Industrie has decided not to support the machine any longer.
Branson, as a major customer of the company asked for their support and it does not appeared to have been given.
The reasons for Airbus not to support the machine are well rehearsed here in the past months. You can choose from economics (stated by the company) to any conspiracy that you like.
In the Biz market, depressed or not, the availability of Conc would not, I think, make a great deal of difference. Consider the following aspects of aviation that were not present when the a/c was designed in the 1960s and entered service in the 1970s.[list=1][*]Biz seats the same size as 1st in those days and probably more comfortable now![*]Biz lounges where folks can eat and work in advance of flight. Shower and change.[*]Ditto upon arrival.[*]Laptop computers allowing folks to work through most of the flight, if they wish.[*]Onboard phones and entertainment.[*]A business life so hectic that the idea of extra time in the air when they cannot be contacted appeals greatly.[*]E-mail.[*]Video conferencing. Audio conf existed but pretty basic.[*]WWW (different altogether from e-mail).[*]In the mid 70s, Fax took 6 minutes per page.[*]A choice of four carriers LHR~JFK direct and six or more indirects. Longer transit times but same biz facilities and possibly lower cost.[*]Biz jets that could cross the Atlantic on two or three engines with 1 to 99 pax. Everything from small bizjet to PrivatAir scale ops.[*]Biz jets - fractional ownership to keep cost down.[/list=1]
Corrections and additions welcome (I was not travelling Biz in the 70s!) but this list alone shows why Conc was struggling. For those who wanted the exclusivity and privacy - then Conc was worth the premium but shareholders do not want to hear that the Chairman and CEO are hopping Conc all the time.
All of the above benefits of going Biz are available at lower cost than Conc. Whilst some biz pax would continue to use the a/c, I suspect (my guess only) that the main market is leisure. If you look through the long discussions here since the announcement, you will read of the limitations on distance and fields. Trying to make that pay for the considerable engineering costs? To recoup your investment and make a profit in the (apparently) ten more years of the airframes?
Would Branson have made it work? We shall never know but I think that he is probably lucky that he could not get the machines.
Please know that I wish the machines could stay and my single sector flight in August of this year on BA0001 operated by G-BOAC, will be remain a delight of my life for ever.