(Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc. on Tuesday agreed to buy up to 20 jets from aircraft maker Boom Supersonic, becoming the second major U.S. airline to bet on ultra-fast passenger travel in the last two years.
The deal brings Boom’s orderbook to 130 airplanes, including options, valued at about $26 billion, Boom Chief Executive Blake Scholl said in an interview.
The return of interest in supersonic jets comes nearly two decades after Concorde, flown by Air France and British Airways, was retired following a deadly crash and high costs of fuel and maintenance.
Last year, United Airlines Holdings Inc agreed to buy 15 Boom Overture aircraft provided they meet certain safety, operating and sustainability requirements. A similar condition was part of the American Airlines agreement as well.
American also has an option to purchase 40 more of the jets, each of which can carry 65 to 80 passengers, the companies said.
The four-engine Overture jet can fly from Miami to London in just under five hours, cutting the nearly nine-hour flight time between the cities by about half.
SOURCE REUTERS
