Flying taxis in Milan. No, it is not the script of a science fiction film but a reality not too distant: the first air taxis will be used for the sites of the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Municipality of Milan and SEA, the airport company of Milan of Linate and Malpensa, have signed an agreement. And it is “challenge” with Rome: the first experimental flight took place in the capital on 6 October and aims to start as early as 2024.
It is still very hard to believe that the skies of our cities could really be crossed by flying taxis in three years. But all the prototype solutions that have been developed and launched in recent years make this scenario more and more concrete.
Milan flying taxis: 4 vertiports and flights by 2026
The Politecnico di Milano on behalf of Sea analyzed 17 areas in Lombardy suitable to accommodate the vertiports: in addition to Malpensa e Linate, there are 9 urban zones and 6 in the whole region. In Milan they will be in the two airports, Linate and Malpensa, a Porta Romana (where the Olympic village is) ea City Life whose project "is in a more advanced stage" compared to Porta Romana "still to be defined".
For the implementation of the initiative, Sea evaluated the opportunity of setting up a new company. There NewCos will have an organization that will take care of the design, construction and management of the vertiports - and therefore of the runways in which the electric air taxis will take off and descend - in areas - already shared with the Authorities - identified following the performance of demand forecast analyzes and technical-aeronautical assessments, and will evaluate further opportunities for developing connections in Italy.
An investment that SEA's number one, Armando Brunini estimates for a total of over 30 million euros, and a turnover in 2030 "around 13 million euros, with a profit of 2 million".
How much will a ticket for the flying taxi cost?
I Costs (per person) for one flight could be around 120-150 euro from the airport to the city centre. Brunini explained better than the rates they will have to be established by the service operator "since Sea will offer the vertiport but the flying taxis will be used by specific companies".
After the testing phase it could go down to 80 euros and be able to carry from 4 to 6 passengers per trip, about 30-60 kilometres. The intention, according to Sea's number one, is to “capture not only those who fly with a private jet, but also other passengers. Starting with those in the premium seats on scheduled flights". Which is why the Emirates company would also be interested in the type of service "for its business class travellers".
Flying taxis: challenge between Milan and Rome
The first Italian city to develop a certain interest in air taxis was Rome. Aeroporti di Roma, the company that manages the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, spoke of investments in Volocopter, a company that has created an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle. And it was only on 6 October that the first experimental flight took place with the aim of officially putting the flying taxis into circulation for another important occasion: the Jubilee 2025.
