Southwest Airlines is hoping to get into
the flying taxi business.
Southwest and Archer Aviation Inc. have
signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop operational plans for
electric air taxi networks utilizing Archer's eVTOL aircraft. To start, this will only be at airports in
California where Southwest operates.
Archer is a leading electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer.
The Federal Aviation Administration recently
approved an app development by Archer rival Joby Aviation for
on-demand service for the air taxi.
Archer
says its Midnight aircraft is designed to transform urban travel, replacing
60-to-90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-to-20-minute electric air
taxi flights. The goal of Archer's aircraft is to offer a safe, low-noise,
cost-competitive transportation option with no direct emissions.
This
is a key step toward potentially offering Southwest Customers an airport
transport service that saves time by streamlining the door-to-door passenger
journey.
"Southwest
is eager to explore the convenience Archer's air taxis could provide Customers
flying Southwest at airports in busy urban areas," said Paul Cullen, Vice
President of Real Estate at Southwest Airlines. "We've proudly served as
California's largest carrier for nearly 25 years, and integrating Archer's
electric aircraft into the travel journey potentially gives us an innovative
opportunity to enhance the experience of flying Southwest. We look forward to
collaborating with Archer as we assess future commercial activities in
California and other Southwest locations."
"With Archer's
Midnight aircraft, passengers will be able to fly above traffic to get to the
airport faster," said Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer at Archer.
"By putting together Southwest's impressive network of airports in
California and their frequent intrastate flights with our planned network,
Southwest Customers could someday complete door-to-door trips like Santa Monica
to Napa in less than three hours."
Archer and Southwest
plan to collaborate over the next few years as eVTOLs take flight.
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