Start-up wants to make low cost supersonic flights a reality

Many companies are working on bringing back supersonic flights, but one of them also wants to make low fares part of the deal. Well, relatively low.

When the Concorde was up and running, a ticket could cost upwards of $20,000.

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Boom, which is based in Colorado, would like to see round trip journeys happen for closer to $5,000.

The company's plan has attracted a great deal of attention, including that of Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Group, who just optioned 10 of the proposed supersonic jets.

At present, plans for the aircraft have it travelling from San Francisco to Tokyo in four and a half hours and New York to London, in three and a half hours.

Those amazing times are based on the plane flying at more than double the speed of sound.

Such a feat actually being accomplished is still a way off, as even prototype crafts won't be ready until late in 2017.

According to the Guardian, Richard Branson announced last week that Virgin would be helping to develop new jets.

A spokeswoman said: "Richard has long expressed interest in developing high-speed flight and building high speed flight R&D through Virgin Galactic and our manufacturing organization, The Spaceship Company."

Adding: "We can confirm that The Spaceship Company will provide engineering, design and manufacturing services, flight tests and operations and that we have an option on the first 10 airframes. It is still early days and just the start of what you'll hear about our shared ambitions and efforts."

Blake Scholl, the founder and chief executive of Boom and Branson's partner, claims the new aircraft will mean you'll be able to travel between New York and London in just three and a half hours.

A prototype of the jet is currently being built in Colorado.