Branson ‘to offer cheaper, faster transatlantic flights than Concorde’
Sir Richard Branson has signed an option to buy 10 supersonic jets, which he claims will cut the journey time between London and New York down to 3.5 hours.
His Spaceship Company has partnered with pilot and former Amazon executive Blake Scholl, whose company Boom is building a prototype of the jet.
According to the Guardian, The Spaceship Company will provide engineering, design and manufacturing services, flights test and operations.
Several other companies, including Airbus and the US space agency NASA are also building supersonic aircraft, but Scholl claims his is likely to be the first to market as it doesn’t require any new technology.
He claimed Boom will be able to offer transatlantic flights for $5000 return, much less than Concorde, to allow business executives to commute across the Atlantic.
It will offer 40 seats in two rows either side of the aisle and cruise at 60,000 feet at speeds of 1,451 mph, which is a shade faster than Concorde.
The Spaceship Company has options on the first 10 aircraft, but Scholl claimed he has signed a letter of intent with a major London-based airline which also wants to buy his jets.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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