Imam Khomeini Airport City, located in southern Tehran, is expected to start operating air taxi services for the first time in the country’s capital city.
“A domestic airliner has invested about 1,100 billion rials [$4.23 million] in the project,” Sajjad Kamalipour, IKAC’s deputy for economic affairs, was quoted as saying by Cannews, a local media outlet specializing in aviation developments.
“The project is being developed on a six-hectare area inside the airport city,” he added.
Pouya Air, the project investor, has so far purchased two Embraer ERJ 145ER passenger aircraft and one Bombardier Challenger 604, according to Kamali.
“The company is expected to add one more aircraft to its fleet in the near future.”
An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand.
Air taxi services have recently gained traction in Iran. There are more than 90 airports across the country, a considerable number of which are inactive. A total of 300 small aircraft are also being operated in Iran, which makes flying taxi services lucrative for investors. However, lack of regulations has been reportedly hindering the development of the business.
A rise in road traffic congestion and demand for alternative modes of transportation have also propelled the growth of the global air taxi market. However, high fare and strict regulations related to aviation license have impeded the market’s growth. Supportive government initiatives could give a boost to the market.
According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global air taxi market is estimated to have fetched $817.50 million by 2021 and is expected to earn $6.63 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 26.2% from 2021 to 2030.
The global air taxi market is segmented on the basis of propulsion type, aircraft type, passenger capacity and region. Based on the propulsion system, the market is categorized into parallel hybrid, electric, turboshaft and turboelectric propulsion.
The electric segment is projected to account for the highest share in the global air taxi market, contributing to more than two-fifths of the total share in 2021 and is estimated to maintain its leadership position throughout the forecast period. This segment would grow at the largest CAGR of 30.4% from 2021 to 2030, GlobeNewswire reported.
