Air Taxis to Launch in Major Indian Metros by 2026: Slight Premium Over Cab Fares

Key Highlights:

• The Indian Aviation Ministry and DGCA are launching an urban air mobility project with air taxis expected to be operational in major cities by 2026.
• Air taxis, developed in partnership with Archer Aviation, aim to alleviate traffic congestion, offering a faster and slightly more expensive alternative to Uber.
• Regulatory preparations for eVTOL services are advancing, with India poised to lead in urban air mobility infrastructure and standards.

After the successful resolution of the world’s largest democratic event (Indian general elections 2024), the Ministry of Civil Aviation has started work on its air mobility project in urban cities, in coordination with DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).

The project is aimed at aiding people with difficulties in commuting between urban cities. Heavy traffic congestion on the roads and densely crowded public transport make the commute time-consuming, stressful, and tiring for travellers.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation along with the DGCA, is speculated to have set up multiple teams laying out a comprehensive plan for air taxis in India. The project is expected to be operational from 2026 in some of the major metro cities like Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, subsequently followed by other metro cities like Hyderabad and Chennai, reported ToI.

Once the government devises the rules related to aspects of e-vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOL), InterGlobe Enterprises (IGE), the parent company of IndiGo, along with US-based air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation, backed by Boeing, will start the infrastructural setup required for the project.

"DGCA has set up several panels to look at different aspects of air taxis that range from air navigation, which routes they can operate, and safety and standards for vertiports. Everything will be in place for the air taxis to take off in India by 2026. In terms of regulatory preparedness for eVTOL services for urban air mobility, India will be ahead of the curve," reported ToI quoting its sources.

Nikhil Goel, COO of the Boeing-backed Archer Aviation, commenting on the pricing for the air taxis, says, “The cost per passenger of using this service is likely to be just a 'slight premium' over a regular Uber ride.”

Rahul Bhatia, Chief of IGE, recently said, "Given the extreme congestion in Indian cities, urban (air) mobility is going to do what mobile telephony did to India (for communications) in the mid-1980s. They were able to leapfrog people's ability to communicate. This (air taxi) is no different and will work very powerfully in the country."

Cost Estimate for the Air Taxi

Mr. Bhatia, giving a clearer estimate of the pricing, said, “Delhi-Gurgaon, for instance, costs INR 1,500-2,000 by Uber. An air taxi (per passenger) will cost up to 1.5 times that or INR 2,000-3,000.”

Also Read:: Bengaluru Surpasses Delhi in Private Car Ownership: A Comparative Analysis