Joby Aviation, a California-based company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, has partnered with Virgin Atlantic to launch an air taxi service in the UK.
The partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines – which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic – to launch service in the USA and the UK and brings together two brands “committed to innovation, customer service and challenging the status quo”, the companies said.
The partnership aims to offer seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK, starting with regional and city connections from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport. Virgin Atlantic will also support Joby’s go-to-market efforts in the UK by marketing the service to their customers, engaging regulators alongside Joby and helping to build support for developing landing infrastructure at key airports.
eVTOL technology model
Joby’s electric air taxi uses six tilting propellers that enable it to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by today’s helicopters. The aircraft is optimized for rapid, back-to-back flights and is expected to be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles. Joby has completed thousands of test flights, including exhibition flights in New York City in the USA and in Japan and Korea.
Journeys in the UK could include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds, or an eight-minute journey from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf, instead of 80 minutes by car. Over time, Joby expects to build out a network of landing locations that offer rapid and convenient travel around cities and communities throughout the UK. Joby expects to offer prices that are comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options at launch.
The Joby electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200mph. With this partnership, Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to reserve a seat on Joby’s aircraft through Virgin Atlantic’s app, website and other channels.
Founding the partnership
In 2022, Joby and Delta Air Lines announced a multi-city, commercial and operational partnership to pioneer community-to-airport transportation for customers. This included an upfront equity investment of US$60m in Joby, with the opportunity to expand the total investment up to US$200m as the partners achieve substantive milestones on the development and delivery of the service. While the partnership is mutually exclusive across the US and UK for at least five years following commercial launch, the partnership has been extended to include Virgin Atlantic in the UK.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said, “As a leader in sustainability and with innovation firmly in our DNA, we are delighted to be partnering with Joby to bring short-haul, zero-emission flight to airports and cities throughout the UK. Our strategic partnership combines Joby’s expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and award-winning customer experience. We look forward to working together to bring Joby’s service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.”
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, commented, “Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to delighting its customers is unparalleled and we couldn’t imagine a better partner to work with in the UK. Together, we are committed to delivering faster options for mobility across the country, including for Virgin Atlantic and Delta customers as they head to the airport or move between UK towns and cities.”
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