Joby Aviation, Inc., a California-based company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, announced a partnership with Virgin Atlantic that will see the companies partner on the launch of Joby’s 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 US and UK. Delta invested $60 million in Joby in 2022 to have the company’s air taxis used for home-to-airport transportation.
The partnership, according to the announcement, 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 Airport in London and Manchester Airport. Virgin Atlantic, said the announcement, will support Joby’s go-to-market efforts in the UK through marketing the service to their customers, engaging regulators alongside Joby and helping to build support for the development of landing infrastructure at key airports.
Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, and the partnership means Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to reserve a seat on Joby’s aircraft through Virgin Atlantic’s app, website and other channels.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said the partnership “combines Joby’s expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and award-winning customer experience.”
Joby’s electric air taxi utilizes six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters. The aircraft is optimized for rapid, back-to-back flights and is expected to be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles.
Services in the UK could include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds, or an eight-minute journey from Heathrow 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.
Image: Joby Aviation
