Southwest Airlines and Archer Aviation have announced plans to develop air taxi networks at the 14 commercial California airports the airline serves.
Archer Aviation, a leading manufacturer of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dallas-based airline, per a company press release. The two companies will “collaborate on a concept of operations that lays the foundation for integrated electric air taxi networks that would support California airports and the surrounding communities that Southwest serves,” the release stated.
Archer Aviation’s flagship aircraft, Midnight, is a five-person air taxi (holding four passengers, the pilot, and carry-on luggage) designed to cut time on commutes ranging from 20 to 50 miles in distance, according to the Dallas Business Journal. What would normally be a 60- to 90-minute commute to or from the airport by car could be reduced to a 10- to 20-minute commute by electric air taxi.
“With Archer’s Midnight aircraft, passengers will be able to fly above traffic to get to the airport faster,” commented Nikhil Goel, Archer’s chief commercial officer. “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.”
Paul Cullen, Vice President of Real Estate for Southwest Airlines, shared his thoughts on what this collaboration means to the company.
“Southwest is eager to explore the convenience Archer’s air taxis could provide customers flying Southwest at airports in busy urban areas,” Cullen said. “Integrating Archer’s electrical aircraft into the travel journey potentially gives us an innovative opportunity to enhance the experience of flying Southwest.”
While there is no set timeline on when these services will begin to be offered, the companies “…plan to collaborate over the next few years as eVTOLs take flight,” Archer Aviation stated. Archer is working on certification with the Federal Aviation Administration before launching the service, per DBJ.
Electric aircraft offer emission-free operations and quieter flights than traditional helicopters, helping to reduce the carbon footprint and noise pollution in densely populated areas.
Last fall, eVTOL manufacturer Overair announced that it was partnering with the city of Arlington to bring eVTOL services to the Arlington Municipal Airport, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Similarly, the University of North Texas partnered with Advanced Air Mobility early last year to test potential travel routes for eVTOLs, DX reported.