Technology-powered platform Blade Air Mobility has participated in the historic first passenger-carrying flight of an electric aircraft in the US Beta Technologies' Alia conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) aircraft, which flew from East Hampton airport in New York State into John F. Kennedy International airport in New York City. The flight marked a major milestone in the advancement of all-electric aviation within commercial airspace.

Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal says: “This electric aircraft flight from Long Island to New York City highlights that quiet and emission-free flight is quickly becoming a reality, benefiting Blade's fliers, local residents and other key stakeholders. I can think of no better way to demonstrate our company's commitment to quiet, electric aircraft commercialisation than my participation on this flight as a passenger.”

The Alia CTOL, developed by Vermont-based Beta Technologies, is a battery-powered, fixed-wing aircraft designed for safe, efficient and sustainable transport of people and cargo. The aircraft has logged thousands of miles across diverse real-world conditions and is the first of its kind to receive a market survey certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), enabling rigorous demonstration operations ahead of full certification.

“Flying our electric aircraft into one of the world's busiest airports, with passengers, proves advanced air mobility is not some future concept; it's here,” says Beta Technologies founder and CEO Kyle Clark. “Today's flight is about more than technology; it's about innovation and connecting communities in safer, quieter and more efficient ways. After years of rigorous safety testing in all types of environments, we're proud to stand with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the city of New York to demonstrate exactly how this aircraft can serve cities by easing congestion, reducing emissions and increasing accessibility.”

Blade's asset-light model, coupled with its proprietary terminal infrastructure, is uniquely positioned to accelerate the commercial transition to quiet, emission-free aircraft. The successful demonstration flight affirms both the near-term feasibility of electric aviation in metropolitan environments and Blade's leadership in shaping the future of sustainable air mobility.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was involved in the project. The milestone flight follows six years of rigorous testing and development by Beta and reflects the Port Authority's continued commitment to safety and innovation by advancing next-generation transportation solutions. The demo flight is the result of a request for innovation (RFI) issued by the agency in 2023 seeking proposals from companies to demonstrate their next-generation aircraft at a Port Authority airport. As part of its agency-wide push to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Port Authority is committed to working with public and private partners to test clean-energy innovations that have the potential to improve mobility, reduce environmental impacts and expand access across the region.

“The Port Authority has long positioned itself as a testbed for the transportation technologies of tomorrow, and this historic flight is the latest example of how we're working to bring innovation into real-world infrastructure,” says Port Authority chairman Kevin O'Toole. “We're excited about the potential for innovations like all-electric aircraft to ease regional travel while reducing emissions and noise pollution. We're proud to embrace innovation and help lay the groundwork for a more efficient and environmentally friendly future of flight.”

“This milestone flight is directly aligned with the Port Authority's aggressive agenda to build a more sustainable future and to support the development and rollout of new technology,” adds Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton. “We've pledged to reach net-zero emissions across all agency operations by 2050, and advancing clean, electric-powered aircraft is a key part of that strategy. As one of the country's largest transportation agencies, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to explore technologies that reduce emissions and to continue to create innovative air travel capabilities.”

The Port Authority has worked to facilitate the development of sustainable and clean energy advancements across the aviation landscape. This includes entering into a strategic partnership with NASA to explore the next generation of flight in urban environments, expanding electric vehicle charging stations, developing New York state's largest rooftop solar array at JFK's new Terminal One, building the nation's largest airport solar rooftop at Newark Liberty International Airport's Terminal A parking garage, installing a solar array on JFK's long-term parking Lot 9 and integrating a solar rooftop at LaGuardia Airport. The agency is also committed to electrifying its light-duty vehicle fleet by 2028 and nearly all of its airport ground service equipment by 2035. The Port Authority also completed a full decarbonisation retrofit of Newark Liberty's historic Building One, serving as a blueprint for similar work at other legacy facilities across the agency.