Nadzeya

Continental convicted in Concorde crash trialUs-based Continental Airlines has been convicted of manslaughter over the deaths of 113 people in the Concorde crash outside Paris 10 years ago and ordered to pay 1, 2 million euro’s (US$ 1, 6-million) in damages and fines.There was an “incontestable link” between the “negligence” of Continental and the fireball that brought down the supersonic jet on july,25,2000.The fireball ignited when one of the aircrafts tyres ran over a piece of metal from one of the US carriers aircraft during takeoff, Judge Dominique Andreassier said in Pontoise,France.The verdict, delivered seven years after Concorde’s last commercial takeoff, “will send a shock wave across the industry” and could lead to pilots and mechanics “clamming up for fear of criminal prosecution,” said Kenneth Quinn, a US expert in aviation law.The crash hastened the demise of 50thwedding anniversary invitations Concorde with flights grounded for 16 months after the disaster and the aircraft returning to service as demand for air travel fell following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Booking never fully recovered on the 1350 mph SST.Continental must pay a 200000 euro fine and one million euro’s to Air France ?KLM Group, operator of the doomed flight.Continental, which has its main hub in Houston, said the verdict was “absurd” and that “to find that any crime was committed in this tragic accident is not supported either by the evidence at trial or by aviation authorities and experts.”Olivier Metzer, a lawyer for carrier, which merged with United Airlines in October last year to form United Continental Holdings Inc., said it would appeal.”It is a political decision, a decision that suits all the French parties,” he said.”Once again, it is the French interests that are of concern.