Research carried out by Honeywell Aerospace has found millennials to be the demographic group most enthusiastic about flying by air taxi in the future.
In the survey of 1,000 US-based fliers, 65% of those born between 1981 and 1996 said they were keen to use an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, compared to 58% of overall respondents.
Regular fliers, travelling by air ten or more times over the last year, were also shown to be enthusiastic about using air taxis to get around with 67% supporting the travel method.
For those who have flown ten times or under in the past 12 months, only 56% were eager to try what is considered to be the next significant evolution in travel.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, business travelers are more interested in eVTOL flights than those flying for pleasure.
When asked for their main reason for wanting to fly by air taxi, most respondents indicated travel between cities within 100 miles of each other (41%).
Beyond traveling between cities, other desired uses include travel from a suburban airport to a city center (31%) or traveling to a connecting flight in a nearby city (28%).
Overall, 98% of those surveyed would consider taking an eVTOL as part of their travel journey, with respondents citing “not having to sit in traffic” as a key motivator.
“Anyone who travels regularly knows that the journey to and from the airport often adds unwelcome time, cost and hassle to the overall trip,” said Dave Shilliday, Vice President and General Manager of Advanced Air Mobility at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “Air taxis can offer a safe, fast and innovative alternative to traditional transport methods.”
He added: “Our research indicates significant appetite for such services already exists – but like any new technology, consumers need to feel confident about safety, cost and reliability. Air taxis may sound like science fiction to some, but we’re not far from a time when they could become a regular part of travel.”
In addition to gauging consumer interest in air taxis, the research also highlighted safety as an understandable focus for all fliers, with almost two thirds (65%) indicating that this is an important consideration.
Public acceptance of eVTOL is seen as an extremely important obstacle that air taxi developers need to overcome, with a negative opinion among people likely to scupper the new aircraft releasing their full potential.
Whether flying by eVTOL aircraft becomes as normal as taking a bus or train remains to be seen, with critics of the industry adamant that only the very wealthy will be able to travel in this way.
The Honeywell Aerospace Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 US adult fliers who are ages 18+.
For the purpose of the survey, ‘fliers’ is defined as those who have taken at least five round-trip flights in the 12 months between December 5, 2023, and December 12, 2024.
