Flying taxis are expected to be used in Saudi Arabia's major tourist sites and developments in the next years as the kingdom presses forward with its modernisation plans.
The flying taxi will enter the market by 2026, and will be used in major protects such as the futuristic city of Neom and the historic tourist site AlUla, Saudia Airlines announced on Monday.
"We are very close to achieving our goals. We have successfully done the tests in Neom," a source from the aviation ministry told The National.
Volocopter will be the sole operator of the first public transit routes for the residents of Neom.
The plan for Neom envisages residents living in communities without cars, with public transport and autonomous vehicles the main forms of travel.
Flying taxis will be one form of transport available, according to Neom's plans.
"That includes high-speed public transit, shared electric and autonomous mobility, but also electric urban air mobility – electric vertical take off and landing aircraft – that can take people and connect them to this wonderful environment that we have in Neom, greatly reducing the need for roads and surface mobility," Florian Lennert, head of mobility at Neom, said in an official statement.
In the race for air mobility, Saudi Arabia is working to meet the sustainable goals listed under the kingdom's Vision 2030 development plan.
The kingdom aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 by reducing carbon emissions, investing in new energy sources, and developing a carbon capture and storage programme.
French engineering and consulting firm Setec Group is also working on sustainable urban air mobility in the kingdom and is one of many French companies working in AlUla.
The development of AlUla is part of Vision 2030, which aims to bolster its position as a major international destination for culture and tourism.
In 2021, Neom and German company Volocopter established a joint venture to scale advanced air mobility.
They successfully tested the flying taxis last year.
Volocopter aircraft will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, generated by solar and wind energy sources.
“The successful test flight of a Volocopter eVTOL is a tangible example of Neom as a global accelerator and incubator of solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges," Nadhmi Al Nasr, chief executive of Neom, said in a statement:
"Driving the development of smart, sustainable and safe mobility systems will improve livability and connectivity in cities around the world and reduce carbon emissions, creating a cleaner future for all.”
Volocopter expects to obtain certification of its VoloCity air taxi in 2024, Neom officials said.
Flying taxis for Hajj
Saudi Arabia plans to launch air taxis to take Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from King Abdulaziz airport in Jeddah to hotels in Makkah, state media announced on Saturday.
The transfer of pilgrims "will be carried out with maximum speed and highest quality", the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
The logistics will be managed by Saudia, the kingdom's national airline.
Last year, Saleh Al Jasser, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport, said flying taxis would be tested during Hajj in the coming years.
The taxis will operate from Jeddah airport to the pilgrims' hotels in Makkah directly at a premium fee, not yet disclosed by officials.
Last year, Saudi Arabia witnessed a return to pre-Covid Hajj figures with almost 2 million Hajj pilgrims who performed the ritual in 2023.
According to Tawfiq Al Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, the numbers of Umrah pilgrims reached a record 13.5 million last year.
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
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Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books