Southwest Airlines and Archer Aviation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop an electric air taxi network for California airports and other southwest locations.
“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,” said Paul Cullen, Vice President Real Estate at Southwest Airlines, in a press release published on July 12, 2024.
The deal would allow Southwest Airlines customers to use Archer’s Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to speed up and simplify airport transfers and short-distance journeys between cities. The aircraft will be low-noise and cleaner with no direct emissions.
Additionally, passengers will be able to bypass traffic and significantly reduce commute times. Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft can replace 60 minutes to 90 minutes of commuting by car with an estimated 10 to 20 minutes air taxi flights.
According to Archer, battery-powered eVTOLs can take off and land vertically like a helicopter, eliminating the need for runways, taxiways, and other ground facilities. Five seat eVTOL aircraft can carry four passengers and one pilot for nearly 100 kilometers (60 miles) at speeds of up to 241 km/h (150 mph).
“By putting together Southwest’s impressive network of airports in California, Southwest customers could someday complete door-to-door trips like Santa Monica to Napa in less than three hours,” said Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer at Archer.
Bay Area network plans
Archer’s new air taxi network in California is not the company’s only project.
On June 20, 2024, the manufacturer announced details of its plan to launch an air taxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area, connecting five cities: South San Francisco, Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore. It is estimated that travel time will be cut by 10–20 minutes, with bookings available through an app. The primary hub will be located at Oyster point in San Francisco, which will have floating landing pads and electric ferry links.
The eVTOL developer also mentioned a potential launch date of 2025. However, this would be dependent on having its Midnight eVTOL aircraft certified by that date.