Virgin Atlantic has inked a partnership with California based electric air taxi company Joby Aviation, Inc.
The company is developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service.
It will eventually bring the air taxi service to the UK.
It follows a similar partnership partner airline Delta Air Lines – which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic.
The partnership aims to offer 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 through marketing the service to their customers and engaging with regulators alongside Joby.
The airline will also help 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 mph.
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: “Our strategic partnership combines Joby’s expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and 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, added: “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.”
The Joby electric air taxi uses six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters.
The aircraft is optimised 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, Japan and Korea.
Journeys in the UK could include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds, or an 8-minute journey from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf.
Over time, Joby expects to build out a network of landing locations that offer convenient travel around cities throughout the UK.
Joby expects to offer prices that are comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options at launch.
In 2022, Joby and Delta Air Lines announced a multi-city, commercial and operational partnership.
This included an upfront equity investment of $60 million in Joby, with the opportunity to expand the total investment up to $200 million.
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.
Joby exhibited its aircraft for the first time in the UK at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, and in July 2022 announced that it formally applied to have its aircraft validated for use by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
