May 2, 1952: First Commercial Jet Flies From London to Johannesburg
1952: A de Havilland Comet, flying for British Overseas Airways Corporation, becomes the first jet aircraft to enter commercial service, carrying passengers from London to Johannesburg, South Africa.
The early Comet was a four-engine aircraft, roughly the size of a small Boeing 737. It carried between 36 and 44 passengers, depending on its cabin configuration. Regardless of configuration, most early commercial jets were roomy and passenger comfort was a much higher priority than it is today.
The Comet, built by de Havilland, a British firm, was the backbone of the British commercial fleet. Other countries also turned to domestic aircraft manufacturers to populate their fleets: Boeing and Douglas (United States), Tupolev (Soviet Union), Caravelle (France).
Despite the line's overall success and longevity, the first Comets suffered from structural problems and the plane was involved in a number of accidents during the early and mid-'50s.
The plane that made that first London-Johannesburg flight, designated G-ALYP by BOAC (a forerunner of British Airways), was also among the first passenger jets to be lost. G-ALYP crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the Italian island of Elba on Jan. 10, 1954, killing everyone on board.
(Source: Wikipedia)