Southwest Airlines has entered into an agreement with startup Archer Aviation to develop an air taxi service that will use electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
Image Source: Archer
The service will operate using the Archer Midnight, a four-seat electric-powered tilt-rotor aircraft that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. As part of the agreement, the aircraft will have access to 14 airports in California where Southwest operates, The Verge reports.
The deal signals growing confidence among companies to make their air travel dreams a reality. Archer says trips that typically take 60 to 90 minutes by car can be completed in 10 to 20 minutes with the company’s air taxis. In turn, Paul Cullen, vice president of real estate for Southwest Airlines, said: “The company is committed to exploring the convenience and comfort that Archer air taxis can provide customers in densely populated urban areas.”
The company has already received an air carrier certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is required to operate an air taxi, and plans to launch the service before the end of 2025.
Along with Archer, electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) company eVTOL is also hoping to get full FAA approval, but the process is slow. It could be several years before the FAA grants full certification, which has not yet happened. Changes in the certification process created uncertainty about commercialization after the FAA reclassified the eVTOL as an “airlift” rather than an aircraft.