A BLUE-PAINTED Concorde supersonic airliner, chartered by US fizzy drinks giant Pepsi, can fly faster than the speed of sound without its paint peeling off as some experts had suggested, a Pepsi spokesman said yesterday.

Pepsi moved to carry out a damage-limitation public relations exercise after press reports last week suggested that its marketing stunt of decorating the plane in its corporate colours had backfired on the company, Pepsi-Cola International spokesman, Mr Keith Hughes, said.

Aviation experts claimed the plane could fly at supersonic speed only if painted pure white.

The Concorde has just completed a 10-day promotional tour of eight cities in Europe and the Middle East and has flown at supersonic speeds on at least four legs of the journey, when air space restrictions allowed, Mr Hughes said.