Story at a glance
- Major U.S. airline United partnered with startup Boom Supersonic to purchase more than a dozen of Boom’s aircraft.
- The move could help the company be more sustainable while cutting the time of international trips by nearly half.
- The aircrafts won’t take flight until 2029.
United Airlines could soon see faster airplane trips along with a more sustainable fleet of aircraft following a new partnership with aircraft startup Boom Supersonic, making it the first major airline to do so.
Announced in a press release on Thursday by both companies, United officials said that they will commit to purchasing 15 of Boom’s Overture aircraft model, which is billed as the fastest and most sustainable airliner.
Operating at a speed of Mach 1.7, the Overture boasts dramatically shortened international trips, including roughly 4 hours and 30 minutes from Tokyo to Seattle, 3 hours and 30 minutes from New York to London, and 8 hours and 30 minutes from Los Angeles to Sydney.
The aircraft is also carbon neutral, thanks to its use of sustainable aviation fuel, and can hold 65 to 88 passengers while cruising at a 60,000 foot altitude.
“United continues on its trajectory to build a more innovative, sustainable airline and today’s advancements in technology are making it more viable for that to include supersonic planes,” United CEO Scott Kirby said.
Boom’s planes have yet to be approved for market use, and are expected to take to the skies by 2026 and carry passengers by 2029.
“The world’s first purchase agreement for net-zero carbon supersonic aircraft marks a significant step toward our mission to create a more accessible world,” said Blake Scholl, Boom Supersonic founder and CEO. “United and Boom share a common purpose—to unite the world safely and sustainably.”
This is not the first major business venture for the Denver-based company. Boom has also signed supply deals with Rolls Royce, the U.S. Air Force, Amazon and Japan Airlines.
For United, this new partnership will likely help contribute to its mission of being 100 percent sustainable by 2050.
Data published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that the transportations sector is the leading emitter of carbon emissions in the atmosphere, which includes air travel.
changing america copyright.
