The airline has signed a contract with German manufacturer Lilium to acquire 100 aircrafts which it it will operate domestically.

The aircrafts are completely electric and will also contribute towards the kingdom’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by the year 2060.

Saudi Arabia Airlines CEO Ibrahim Koshy said that one aircraft will only carry four to six passengers at a time and will thus be a ‘premium’ service.

The small aircrafts are also convenient for domestic travel because they do not need a runway to land. They can also travel upto 200 kilometres on a single charge.

However, the air taxis will still need some infrastructure including charging ports and fixed areas where passengers can get off.

Recent reports have claimed that the air taxis could also become a feature in the travel of pilgrims in the kingdom. In such cases, pilgrims will be able to get on a taxi right from the airport which will take them to their hotel in Makkah.

Meanwhile, licensing and other requirements could push the introduction of the air taxis as far ahead as 2025.