Archer Aviation and ITA Airways, which is a member of the Lufthansa Group, have signed an agreement to partner on an all-electric air taxi network in Italy. ITA Airways is Italy’s flag carrier, serving more than 70 destinations worldwide as part of the Star Alliance network. It is Archer’s first European airline partner.
Using Archer’s Midnight aircraft, the partnership will look to deploy air taxi services in major cities across Italy. Designed for rapid back-to-back flights with zero-operating emissions, the goal of Archer’s Midnight aircraft is to replace 60–90 minutes drives with all-electric flights of 10–20 minutes. Archer says an hour-long trip on the ground from Fiumicino Airport to Rome’s city centre could take less than 10 minutes with a flight in Midnight.
Midnight recently showcased its ability to operate seamlessly in complex urban airspace, completing several days of piloted flights in the US, which included multiple flights from Oakland to San Francisco’s Marina District in roughly 10 minutes.
ITA Airways will focus on enabling an integrated customer journey and connecting the new service with its network, working alongside the specialised partners responsible for its operation.
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