Archer Aviation and ITA Airways have signed an agreement to explore an all-electric air taxi network in Italy using Archer’s Midnight aircraft. The proposed services would target major cities and connect airports with urban destinations. In Rome, Archer estimates a journey from Fiumicino Airport to the city centre that takes about an hour by road could take less than 10 minutes by air. No routes or launch date have been confirmed.
ITA Airways would help integrate the service with its airline network and passenger journey. Specialist partners, not identified by the companies, would operate the aircraft. ITA is the first European airline to join Archer’s global airline-partner network.
The agreement remains exploratory and is conditional on definitive agreements and other conditions. The companies have not specified aircraft numbers or named operating partners; commercial operations would also require regulatory approvals.
Archer describes Midnight as designed for rapid back-to-back flights. The company cites recent piloted flights in the San Francisco Bay Area, including trips between Oakland and San Francisco’s Marina District of about 10 minutes. The Rome journey time and the aircraft’s claimed zero-operating-emissions performance are Archer estimates, not confirmed service results.