Archer and United Airlines Announce First Commercial Electric Air Taxi Route in the US: Downtown Manhattan to Newark Liberty International Airport

By: Archer Aviation Inc. via Business Wire

November 10, 2022 at 07:00 AM EST

Archer and United have chosen Newark Liberty International Airport to Downtown Manhattan Heliport as the first route to utilize Archer’s electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) to provide safe, quick, quiet and cost effective transportation for airline passengers
Route estimated to take less than 10 minutes via Archer’s all-electric Midnight^TM aircraft
The two companies plan to launch the initial routes by electrifying existing aviation infrastructure in and around the New York Metropolitan Area

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) and United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) today announced their first airport to city center route between United’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and New York City. The Downtown Manhattan Heliport, located just above Battery Park on Pier 6, has been confirmed as the first planned takeoff and landing site as part of Archer’s broader plan to launch an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) network across the New York Metropolitan Area. The goal of Archer’s electric air taxi network is to provide passengers with safe, quick, quiet and cost-effective transportation to and from EWR.

Archer’s proposed Manhattan to EWR route marks the first specific route that has been announced in the eVTOL industry. United’s hub at EWR is ideally located to serve Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs, as well as communities in New Jersey. Archer estimates the journey from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to EWR will take less than 10 minutes via its all-electric Midnight aircraft, a low noise, sustainable and safe alternative to helicopters. A similar journey by car can take upwards of an hour or more during rush hour traffic.

“We’re excited to be confirming New York as the first of many routes we’ll be announcing alongside United as we work to build out our national UAM network” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with United and to working closely with state and local government leaders in the New York and New Jersey area as we bring this exciting new form of transportation to life.”

"We are thrilled that Archer and United Airlines have selected to launch their first route right here in our New York City,” said Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City. “We want New York to be a place of bold innovation and outside the box thinking, and I encourage other companies to follow their lead."

“Once operational, electric air taxis will fundamentally change how United customers experience comfort, convenience, and efficiency during their commutes to the airport,” said Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures. “Archer’s New York to Newark route marks another important benchmark towards providing a carbon-neutral and safe commute that drastically reduces the travel time and produces a fraction of the sound emitted by helicopters.”

Archer’s early launch routes will provide airport to city center transportation service, which it refers to as “trunk” routes. Once these primary trunk routes have been established, Archer will begin building out “branch” routes to connect to surrounding communities. The first phase of this UAM network is targeted for launch in 2025.

About Archer

Archer is designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for use in urban air mobility networks. Archer’s mission is to unlock the skies, freeing everyone to reimagine how they move and spend time. Archer's team is based in Santa Clara, CA. To learn more, visit www.archer.com.

About United

United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

Source: Archer

Text: ArcherIR