ITA Airways and Archer Aviation have signed an agreement to examine the development of an electric air taxi network in Italy, including potential links between major airports and city centres. The proposed services would use Archer’s Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, although no launch date or firm operating schedule has been announced.
The partnership makes ITA Airways the first European carrier to join Archer’s international network of airline partners. The companies will assess opportunities in major Italian cities, with Rome identified as one possible market. One application under consideration is a connection between Rome Fiumicino Airport and the city centre, which Archer says could take less than 10 minutes by air compared with approximately an hour by car.
Proposed airport-to-city connections
Archer says Midnight could be used for short urban journeys that currently take between 60 and 90 minutes by road. Its estimate for the proposed flights is between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the connection. The figures are presented as potential journey times rather than as the performance of an operating service.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Airline partner | ITA Airways |
| Aircraft | Archer Midnight eVTOL |
| Potential market | Major Italian cities, including Rome |
| Proposed connection | Rome Fiumicino Airport to the city centre |
| Potential flight time | Less than 10 minutes for the Rome proposal |
ITA Airways will help explore how the proposed network could connect with its existing airline operations. Its role is expected to include coordination with aviation and transport stakeholders, as well as consideration of how an air taxi journey could be incorporated into the wider passenger experience. The aircraft themselves would be operated by specialist partners rather than by ITA Airways.
“This agreement with Archer represents an important step in assessing how electric air taxi services could complement our network and enhance connections between airports, city centres and other strategic destinations. As part of this process, we are exploring different solutions to identify the best possible product for our customers.”
The statement was made by Joerg Eberhart, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ITA Airways. The carrier serves more than 70 destinations worldwide, giving the assessment a potential connection with an established international airline network, although the agreement itself does not confirm that any eVTOL route will enter service.
Midnight designed for short urban flights
Archer describes Midnight as an electric aircraft intended for short journeys between airports and urban destinations. The company is developing it for frequent, consecutive flights, positioning the aircraft as an alternative to road transport in congested metropolitan areas. Archer says the aircraft produces no direct emissions during operation.
- The agreement is an assessment and partnership arrangement, not an announcement of a launched route.
- Rome Fiumicino Airport–city centre is one proposed application, with no operating date disclosed.
- Specialist partners would operate the aircraft while ITA Airways examines integration with its airline services.
The initiative places airport access, rather than longer-distance replacement flying, at the centre of the proposed Italian network. Its immediate focus is therefore on examining how electric aircraft could support transfers between existing air services and urban destinations, subject to the further development of the network and the involvement of the relevant aviation and transport stakeholders.
