Air taxis to be in test operation during Paris Olympics

‘Flying taxis’ will operate on a trial basis during the Paris Olympics 2024. The taxi will likely cost 110 euros for a ride, about double the fare for ordinary taxis in Paris.

“The biggest attraction at the Paris Olympics will be without doubt pilot operation of flying taxis,” Augustin de Romanet, CEO of Aéroports de Paris, said in his interview with radio network France Info on Tuesday. “We will sell thousands of tickets for air taxi rides at a very reasonable price. The fare will be around 110 euros."

The small 'air taxi' to be run by ADP will be operating during the Olympics from July 26 to August 11 next year between Saint-Cyr-L'Ecole in the southwest of Paris and Le Bourget in the northeastern outskirts and between Le Bourget and the Seine River in Austerlitz in the southeast of Paris. A taxi will likely transport a pilot and one passenger aboard.

Augustin de Romanet said he expects the global vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) market will grow exponentially in 2028 and 2029, adding the Paris Olympics will be an excellent opportunity to test the economic viability of air taxis. “When a person’s life is in jeopardy, the air taxi can save his or her life instantly,” adding, “We will have to wait to see when it will be used widely by the general public after the test operation.”

The air taxi to be operating will be the ‘VoloCity,’ which was developed by German urban air mobility company Volocopter and was test-run in public in Paris last November. "(Air taxis) are subject to the European Union’s aviation regulations, and the problem is not significant in terms of regulation," said Thierry Alain, innovation chief at the French aviation authority DGAC.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com