Japan Airlines (JAL) and Boom Supersonic have announced a strategic partnership to bring commercial supersonic travel to passengers.
While new and advanced technologies are changing our lives significantly, flight times for air travel have stayed relatively constant. Boom is developing a new-generation supersonic aircraft, which flies at Mach 2.2 and will cut flight times in half. Through this agreement, JAL will provide its knowledge and experience as an airline to support Boom in developing the aircraft.
As part of the agreement, JAL has made a strategic investment of $10 million (USD) in Boom and is collaborating with the company to refine the aircraft design and help define the passenger experience for supersonic travel. JAL also has the option to purchase up to 20 Boom aircraft through a pre-order arrangement. The two companies will cooperate closely to realize faster and more convenient air travel.
“We’ve been working with Japan Airlines behind the scenes for over a year now,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “JAL’s passionate, visionary team offers decades of practical knowledge and wisdom on everything from the passenger experience to technical operations. We’re thrilled to be working with JAL to develop a reliable, easily-maintained aircraft that will provide revolutionary speed to passengers. Our goal is to develop an airliner that will be a great addition to any international airline’s fleet.”
“We are very proud to be working with Boom on the advancement in the commercial aviation industry. Through this partnership, we hope to contribute to the future of supersonic travel with the intent of providing more `time` to our valued passengers while emphasizing flight safety ,” said Yoshiharu Ueki, President of Japan Airlines.
The JAL Group will continue to embrace new technology to deliver greater customer convenience and comfort, enhance its networks, and improve the quality of its products and services.
Boom Aircraft Specifications
Entry into Service: Mid-2020s Maximum Range: 8,334km
Cruise Speed: Mach 2.2 45-55 Business Class Type Seating
Boom Supersonic is a Denver-based company dedicated to removing the barriers to experiencing the planet, starting by building a Mach-2.2 airliner economical enough to operate with business-class fares. Boom is backed by venture capital firms such as 8VC, RRE, Lightbank, Y Combinator, and Caffeinated Capital, as well as angel investors including Sam Altman, Paul Graham, and Greg McAdoo.
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