AIRPORTS AND AIRPLANES ARE STARTING TO FILL UP AGAIN AS THE COUNTRY CONTINUES ITS RETURN TO NORMALCY. AIRLINES SAY SUMMER BOOKINGS ARE ALREADY AT OR EXCEEDING PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.
AND WHILE THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE OF AIR TRAVEL LOOKS CROWDED..... THE LONG-TERM FUTURE IS LOOKING *FASTER*. DENVER-BASED STARTUP "BOOM SUPERSONIC" IS TEAMING WITH UNITED FOR SUPERSONIC PLANES NOT SEEN SINCE THE CONCORDE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT POST-PANDEMIC AIR TRAVEL.... WITH AVIATION EXPERT AND U-S-C INSTRUCTOR STEVE COWELL.
((INFO))
-- According to the TSA, airport traffic has been steadily increasing since spring break, with daily passenger counts above 1 million every day since mid-March. The total hit a pandemic record 1.96 million the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.
-- Unitedhas an agreement to purchase 15 supersonic aircraft from startup Boom Supersonic.
-- Boom said its Overture supersonic aircraft will be capable of flying between New York and London in 3 hours and 30 minutes, shaving three hours from the typical flight time.
-- United has an option to buy an additional 35 aircraft from Boom, which has raised $240 million in venture capital to develop its plane.