American Airlines bets on supersonic jets
STORY: American Airlines on Tuesday announced plans to buy as many as 20 ultra-fast jets from Boom Supersonic, the second major U.S. carrier planning to add faster-than-sound-aircraft to its fleet.
Jet-maker Boom says its Overture planes are expected to carry passengers at twice the speed of the fastest commercial aircraft now flying.
American said it made a non-refundable deposit on the initial twenty Overture jets, with the option to purchase forty more.
Last year, United Airlines agreed to buy 15 Boom Overture aircraft after they met certain safety, operating, and sustainability requirements.
But while the jet is set to break the sound barrier, you're going to have to wait years to book your ticket.
Boom said the jet is not scheduled to roll out before 2025, and won't carry its first passengers before 2029.
The era of regular commercial supersonic flights appeared to have ended in 2003 when Concorde, flown by Air France and British Airways, was retired after 27 years of service.
The Allied Pilots Association, the labor union representing pilots of American Airlines, criticized the deal, saying the carrier should instead focus on reducing cancellations and delays which have hit its operations this year.
