Indiranagar to Bengaluru airport in 5 minutes? An air taxi can fly you for Rs 1,700, claims CEO

An artistic impression of an electric flying taxi above Bengaluru airport. (Image credit: Sarla Aviation)

Imagine avoiding hours of gridlock in the infamous Bengaluru traffic and instead soaring above the chaos in an electric flying taxi to reach the airport. Thanks to a pioneering collaboration between Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Sarla Aviation, residents could soon experience a flight from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to Electronics City that slashes travel time from a tedious 152 minutes to just 19—all at a competitive fare of Rs 1,700.

Adrian Schmidt, co-founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation, outlined the potential impact of this groundbreaking venture. “Currently, a journey from Indiranagar to the airport can take 1.5 hours—very soon, we will reduce that to just 5 minutes with Sarla Aviation’s fully electric flying taxis,” he stated in a recent LinkedIn post.

BIAL, which operates KIA, said on the collaboration: “This partnership marks a new chapter in our commitment to Advanced Air Mobility solutions, developed right here in Karnataka,” the airport authority announced on X (formerly Twitter).

Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) and Sarla Aviation have signed a statement of collaboration to explore innovative and sustainable air mobility solutions. This partnership marks a new chapter in our commitment to Advanced Air Mobility solutions developed pic.twitter.com/ZGlPHxlV1QBLR Airport (@BLRAirport) October 11, 2024

However, while the vision is promising, there are considerable hurdles to overcome before flying taxis become a reality. A source from BIAL indicated that operations are still two to three years away, noting, “The eVTOL ecosystem, including regulatory approval, still needs to mature. There’s a long way to go, and they haven’t even built a prototype yet.”

The first step is a prototype, followed by several additional steps. Then comes operationalising a handful routes, considering that there is no commercial airspace capacity, a source said.

The potential for electric flying taxis in India has garnered international interest, with California-based Archer having signed a memorandum of understanding with InterGlobe Enterprises (which operates IndiGo) to introduce electric air taxis by 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Recently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued an advisory on baseline airworthiness criteria for certifying VTOL aircraft, signaling progress in this burgeoning sector.