BOAC used the de Havilland Comet for the world’s first scheduled jet airliner passenger service.
The British Overseas Airways Corporation introduced the Comet on 2 May 1952, operating from London to Johannesburg with intermediate stops. The aircraft was faster and smoother than piston-engined airliners, making it a landmark in passenger aviation.
The Comet’s early lead was interrupted by structural accidents in 1954. Investigators discovered that repeated pressurization cycles had caused metal fatigue around the aircraft’s square windows. Later Comet versions incorporated redesigned windows and strengthened structures, but newer American jet designs overtook it commercially.
BOAC was Britain’s long-haul state airline before becoming part of British Airways in 1974. The Comet’s service is distinct from later questions about the first regular all-jet airline network: BOAC pioneered the jet airliner itself, while other carriers soon expanded the technology worldwide.