United Airlines to restart supersonic jet travel

United Airlines on Thursday unveiled its plan to revive high-speed or supersonic jet travel. The airlines said that it will buy 15 planes from Boom Supersonic, an airline startup. If everything goes as planned, the airline aims to start superfast passenger travel in 2029. The jets that will be used will also focus on green travel with "net-zero" in carbon emission as they will use renewable fuel.

In a press release, the airlines said that it represents a potential comeback to a once heavily-touted method of travel. The deal between two airlines covers 15 planes, along with an option for United to obtain another 35 aircraft.
"Our mission has always been about connecting people and now working with Boom, we'll be able to do that on an even greater scale," said United Chief Executive Scott Kirby.

The firms said that the planes produced by Boom are capable of flying at twice the speed of the leading aircrafts. The Boom planes can cover the distance between Newark and London in just 3.5 hours, and San Francisco to Tokyo in just six hours.
History of supersonic jet travel

It was in the 1970s that the commercial supersonic jet travel was introduced for the first time with the Concorde. But, in 2003, these jets were taken off duty owing to the high cost of meeting environmental restrictions on sonic booms.

The seats on these airplanes came at a very high price and only affluent people could afford the ticket prices. These planes were used by Air France and British Airways only.