American Airlines purchases supersonic planes

The company on Tuesday agreed to buy almost 20 jets from Boom Supersonic now and possibly 40 more at a later date. Last year, United Airlines agreed to buy 15 jets from the same company. Both agreements include provisions that the planes meet certain standards for safety, sustainability, and operability. Boeing, another plane manufacturer, has struggled to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for its 787 Dreamliners, which are designed for long international flights but not supersonic speeds.

Why purchase these jets? The planes are capable of cutting the flight times of many popular routes nearly in half. It’s been almost 20 years since the Concorde jet stopped supersonic passenger flights due to high operating costs and low demand. Boom Supersonic announced new plans last month to make planes that were cheaper and easier to maintain. Still, the aircraft American Airlines agreed to purchase aren’t supposed to be flyable until 2029.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Muncy’s report in the Sift about JetBlue buying Spirit airlines.