Virgin has signed a partnership with electric air taxi provider Joby Aviation to launch services in the US and UK for zero-emission, short-range journeys.
Virgin customers will be able to reserve a seat on Joby’s aircraft through the airline’s app, website and other channels.
The taxis are expected to be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles, which could be a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds, or an 8-minute journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf.
They carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph and use six tilting propellers that allow them to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by today’s helicopters.
At launch, California-based Joby says it expects to offer prices that are comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options.
The partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic.
In 2022, Joby and Delta Air Lines announced a multi-city, commercial and operational partnership to launch community-to-airport transportation for customers. The deal 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 in the UK.
Virgin will also support Joby’s go-to-market efforts by engaging with regulators alongside Joby and helping to build support for the development of landing infrastructure at key airports.
In July 2022 Joby formally applied to have its aircraft validated for use by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
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.”
