Archer Aviation and ITA Airways have agreed to explore an all-electric air taxi network in Italy using Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft. The proposal covers services in major Italian cities, but the partners have not identified routes, aircraft numbers or a launch date. ITA would work on integrating the service with its airline network and passenger journey, while specialist partners would operate the flights.
Archer’s example is a link between Rome Fiumicino Airport and the city centre, which it estimates could take less than 10 minutes by air, compared with about an hour by road. The company envisages 10-to-20-minute flights replacing some car journeys of 60 to 90 minutes; these are projected journey times, not timings for an established service.
ITA Airways, Italy’s flag carrier and a Lufthansa Group member, would also help bring relevant stakeholders together. The agreement makes it the first European airline in Archer’s global airline-partner network. The companies have not named the specialist operators or detailed how the proposed services would connect with existing airport operations.
The plan remains exploratory and is conditional on definitive agreements and other conditions. Commercial operations would also require the necessary aircraft certification and regulatory approvals, as well as operating arrangements and supporting infrastructure.