Which airline operated the first transatlantic passenger flight using a jet airliner in 1958?

British Overseas Airways Corporation operated the first transatlantic passenger flight using a jet airliner in 1958.

BOAC, the predecessor of modern British Airways, flew the first scheduled transatlantic jet service on October 4, 1958. The aircraft was a de Havilland Comet 4, and the route connected London and New York. This was a major milestone because earlier transatlantic passenger services had relied on piston-engine aircraft.

The Comet 4 had the range and improved performance needed for nonstop Atlantic operations. BOAC’s service began just before Pan Am introduced its Boeing 707 flights across the Atlantic. Although the Boeing jet soon became dominant, the Comet gave Britain the first scheduled transatlantic jet operation.

This achievement followed serious earlier problems with the Comet 1, including structural failures caused by metal fatigue around its square windows. The later Comet 4 incorporated important structural improvements. BOAC continued operating until 1974, when it merged with British European Airways to form British Airways.