Southwest Airlines gets in on air taxis

Driving the news: Southwest and Archer are developing a plan to build out air taxi networks "that would support California airports and the surrounding communities that Southwest serves," the airline says.

• Archer previously announced plans for an air taxi network connecting five cities in the San Francisco Bay area, as Axios' Joann Muller reported.

Between the lines: Airlines are hopeful that eVTOLS could shuttle passengers between airports and city centers, all while being cleaner and quieter than helicopters.

Yes, but: eVTOLs haven't been cleared for passenger service yet, though that's on pace to happen in the next few years.

• California's airspace is also notoriously busy, making it an especially challenging environment for integrating new forms of air travel.

The bottom line: Air taxis still have to prove themselves both to regulators and corporate bean-counters — and they'll need lots of new infrastructure, too.

• But it's looking likelier by the day that they'll eventually be a quick and easy way to get to and from the airport.