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Events on Friday 2 May 1952 1
1952De Havilland Comet enters commercial serviceWorld's first jet airliner begins scheduled flightsBOAC's De Havilland Comet flew its first commercial jet passenger service from London to Johannesburg on 2 May 1952. It cut flight times dramatically compared to propeller aircraft. A series of fatal crashes caused by metal fatigue later grounded the fleet, but the Comet had opened the jet age of air travel.