We are encouraged that the two governments and aeronautical authorities share our determination to get Concorde flying safely again

British Airways

Air France suspended all its Concorde services immediately after the crash near Paris on 25 July which claimed 113 lives.

The formation of the group was agreed after a meeting in London between the French and British transport ministries and their respective aeronautical authorities.

The group - which will meet regularly in Paris and London - will ensure that details of Concorde's future will be made public as soon as possible.

A Department of Transport spokesman said: "The group will also help to co-ordinate the work being carried out by the aircraft manufacturers and other interested parties to restore the airworthiness of Concorde."

BA grounded all Concorde flights on Tuesday, before Anglo-French air accident investigators announced that a single burst tyre had caused the crash.

The crash killed 109 passengers and four people on the ground

A BA spokeswoman said: "We are encouraged that the two governments and aeronautical authorities share our determination to get Concorde flying safely again.

"We will, of course, work with them and Air France in any way necessary to achieve this as soon as possible."

BA has cancelled all Concorde flights until early September, although it has said that services could be resumed at 24 hours' notice if flight clearance was given.

'Unique' crash circumstances

All parties, including the Anglo-French manufacturers of the plane - BAE Systems and Aerospatiale - will now decide how best to modify Concorde to avoid a repeat of what the CAA has described as the "unique" circumstances of the accident.

The CAA said it was unprecedented for a tyre burst alone to rupture a fuel tank and cause a crash and was not something that should happen to a passenger plane.

Experts believe the necessary modifications could prove too costly.

British pilots are said to be put out that BA's Concordes have been grounded and have pointed out BA had made specific changes to its Concordes in recent years and that Air France had not.