United Airlines Holdings Inc. said Wednesday that it plans to buy up to 200 flying taxis from an electric aircraft startup, as the airline industry seeks new technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. The purchase would be worth $1 billion, according to Archer, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company developing the air taxis. United and Mesa Air Group Inc., a regional carrier that is joining with United on the purchase, said they envision using the taxis to whisk passengers over congested highways to hub airports. Airlines say technology like flying electric taxis can help them reduce emissions, though they say there isn’t currently a substitute for the jet-fuel powered engines that power most aircraft. Commercial aviation accounts for about 2% of global carbon emissions and about 12% of all carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation, a nonprofit research organization.

Source: Mint February 11, 2021 12:45 UTC