October 20, 1976, Dodger President Peter O’Malley is designated the 20,000th passenger to fly on the Concorde by Air France while at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France.
Inside/Peter
Air France Concorde’s 20,000th Passenger
As Dodger President Peter O’Malley and his wife Annette were preparing to fly back from Paris to the United States on October 20, 1976, he was designated by Air France as its 20,000th passenger to board the Concorde. It was the couple’s first time flying on the Concorde.
O’Malley and Annette along with traveling companions Capt. Lew Carlisle and his wife Millie were honored by Air France officials at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Paris before boarding a flight to Washington’s Dulles Airport. Capt. Carlisle was longtime pilot of Dodger-owned airplanes (Lockheed Electra II and Boeing 720-B fan jet) beginning in 1965 and continuing until his passing in 1982. Millie was cherished as popular flight attendant for Dodger trips.
October 20, 1976, (L-R): Unidentified Air France official; Millie Carlisle, Dodger flight attendant; Annette O’Malley, (Mrs. Peter); Capt. Lewis Carlisle, Dodger 720-B jet pilot; Dodger President Peter O’Malley. Before boarding the Concorde flight from Paris, France to Washington, D.C. Peter was named as the 20,000th passenger of the Concorde by Air France.
According to Air France’s press release, “This landmark in supersonic travel comes exactly nine months after the Concorde entered commercial service between Paris and Rio followed on April 9 by Paris/Caracas and on May 24 by North Atlantic service between the U.S. and French capitals. Mr. O’Malley is typical of business travelers who are drawn to the Dulles flight by the 50 percent saving in transatlantic travel time.” It took less than four hours to make the trip on the Concorde from Paris to Washington, D.C.
To coincide with a baseball theme, Air France brought the PUC French youth baseball team to CDG Airport to meet with O’Malley and discuss baseball.
In 2003, the Concorde, an innovation of British and French developers, was officially “retired” due to high operating costs.