During the 2024 Paris Olympics, visitors will be able to travel by air taxi between the designated airports after Volocopter was given the green light by the French government to launch the service. Participants of the event, which starts on 26 July, will be able to try out this unique alternative to commuting by road. The German company won the licence and its eVTOLs, called VoloCity, will serve passengers during the Olympics. Air taxis will be available after the Olympics, as the licence is valid until 31 December.

Vertiports, vehicle departure and arrival points, will be set up along the River Seine and in many other parts of the city, including airports, to allow eVTOLs to transport passengers arriving in Paris to the city centre and Olympic venues.

According to the rules governing the operation of VoloCities, the vehicles will only be allowed to run twice an hour during the day, between 8am and 5pm, and according to AFP, only free of charge for the time being, as the European Aviation Safety Agency’s authorisation procedure is still pending.

A 35-kilometer trip with a two-seater Volocopter (one passenger and one pilot) can cost more than HUF 50,000, which means that this form of transport will primarily be an option for the more affluent.