For the record: Lorraine goes at twice the speed of sound
STEWARDESS Lorraine Longden took charge of her crew for the last time as she went supersonic on the day that Concorde made its final voyage.
Mrs Longden, of Wynbury Drive, High Wycombe, was picked to fly on a trip around the Bay Of Biscay on one of the three planes that heralded the end for Britain's flagship aircraft.
She said: "It was all very emotional and one of my crew couldn't stop crying.
"I felt very proud that I was chosen to work that day and I was privileged to be part of something so special.
"But I feel very sad for the aircraft. It made aviation history and there's nothing to take its place."
Mrs Longden, 36, was the youngest cabin service director on Concorde for the five-and-a-half years she worked on it.
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Before that she had studied travel and tourism at Amersham College and it was there that one of her tutors told her she would never get a job on an airline.
She said: "And now I've flown on the last Concorde."
Wheels of fortune: Lorraine poses under Concorde
Mrs Longden's first-ever trip on Concorde in 1998 was a visit to France to pick up the England football team after they had been knocked out of the World Cup.
She said: "That was great but the team were a bit low and we all had to be very careful what we said."
Her husband Peter, 41, also worked for British Airways for 13 years and the two met when they were promoted at the same time.
Mr Longden and the couple's three sons were all watching as the Concordes touched down for the final time on Friday afternoon.
He said: "It was a cracking day and very emotional. I went on the plane afterwards which was great."
To mark the day, Mr Longden bought his wife a limited edition print of the Concorde and then had it signed by the flight crew from all three planes and by British Airways chief, Lord Marshall.
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