American Airlines has agreed to purchase 20 Boom Supersonic Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 40. AA nows joins United Airlines as a Boom customer, with hopes to usher in a new era of high-speed travel.
American Airlines Announces Order For 20 Boom Supersonic Overture Aircraft
Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 over water — about double the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft — with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. With a focus on speed, safety and sustainability, Overture hopes to be effective on routes like Miami to London in just under five hours or Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours.
Derek Kerr, American’s Chief Financial Officer, noted:
“Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers. We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers.”
Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom, added:
“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines. We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage on network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-changing benefits of cutting travel times in half.”
American has paid a non-refundable deposit on the initial 20 aircraft. Actual delivery will depend upon Boom meeting industry-standard operating, performance, and safety requirements as well as American’s other customary conditions before delivery of any Overtures.
Those contractual stipulations are key. Let’s not kid ourselves, at this point. There’s still a lot to do and this technology is years, probably over a decade, from ever taking to the air (if it ever does). Boom projects an aircraft completion date in 2025 and that the planes will carry passengers in 2029.
But the excitement over this technology is palpable. When United announced its new “order” for supersonic planes, it made headlines across the world. Not just blogs like mine, but national news networks. In a sense, one press release unleashed weeks of positive press without buying any ad time for a product that does not exist and may never come to fruition. That’s powerful marketing. We will see if it happens here.
CONCLUSION
American Airlines has joined United Airlines in placing a speculative order for supersonic aircraft. Specially, American Airlines ordered 20 Overture aircraft from Boom Supersonic with an option for 40 more. While mostly a marketing trick at this point, carriers will watch the progress of this aircraft closely in hopes it will be available one day. But it won’t be anytime soon. That’s for sure.
Does anyone else find it interesting that a special AA livery was not even produced for this announcement?
I completely agree with your assessment. This is all about both AA’s marketing and cutting into UA’s marketing. Personally, having been in some presentations by the Boom team (both technical and business), I don’t think they’ll ever fly an airliner. Their demonstrator might make it off the ground, but I think that’s the ceiling for this company. I’d love to be wrong though!
“Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 over water — about the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft —”
??
Always need to DOUBLE check my work. 😉
This is so laughable. Will they give Concierge Key to anyone who books a flight now using Simply Miles?
You missed filling out surveys and booking hotel rooms in Vegas with no intention of staying in them.
I always appreciate that, maybe if only lip service for now, that there’s still an idea for a supersonic passenger aircraft on the future.
That being said, particularly regarding AA and UA, it would be even more awesome if their announcement is somewhere along the lines of “our catering will stop sucking, effective immediately .” Now that would be great news.
+1
“United made headlines around the world with their BOOM purchase…”
They also made the stock tank momentarily… LOL
That range is just laughable. It basically limits the flights to Europe and the US East Coast.
Copying the old boss still eh?
What’s next at AA, seatback screens?
Nope , these guys are really broke Jared. Gary Leff or Kyle notwithstanding, AA is in real hot water. They just canceled 31000 flights from the November schedule alone!! Maybe they will not go through with declaring chapter 7 right away, but they are sure as hell rushing for chapter 11 . After November and their scheduling cuts, United will effectively become the world’s largest airline, without even trying. And when and if, if AA comes out of chapter 11 still alive, it will be a much smaller, leaner and “meaner” airline, no question. Regardless of what the “experts” tell you, no one can stop that now.
Wow, I did not know all of that! Thanks for sharing! Unfortunate for AA but excited for United to take the largest airline in the world throne.
Either I will be very old or dead when supersonic flying comes back. Strange that the window is so big.
I love looking at the sky but most people slam down their shades and fly in darkness.
This was on the last season of billions lol that plane concept was the sane as this if not the same marketing