Virgin Atlantic And Joby Announce A Special Partnership For UK Electric Air Taxi Service

A collaboration agreement has been announced between Virgin Atlantic and Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a California-based business that is creating electric air taxis for use by commercial passengers. The parties claim that this will contribute to the delivery of innovative, emission-free travel in the UK, including improved connectivity for Virgin Atlantic passengers going to and from the airport.

Joby will receive assistance from the airline in becoming ready to operate in the UK.

Virgin Atlantic’s reputation for innovation and award-winning customer service is strengthened by this collaboration.

Both businesses will collaborate on the UK launch of Joby’s ground-breaking air taxi service.

In addition to bringing together companies dedicated to innovation, customer service, and questioning the status quo, the alliance expands on an existing arrangement between Joby and Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49 percent interest in Virgin Atlantic, to establish service in the US and UK.

Beginning with regional and city links from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport, the collaboration seeks to provide smooth, emission-free, short-distance travel throughout the United Kingdom.

Virgin Atlantic will assist Joby’s go-to-market initiatives in the UK by promoting the service to its clientele, working with Joby’s regulators, and fostering support for the construction of landing facilities at strategic airports.

Customers of Virgin Atlantic will be able to book a seat on Joby’s aircraft via the Virgin Atlantic app, website, and other channels thanks to the agreement. Joby’s electric air taxi can transport a pilot and up to four passengers at up to 200 mph.

With the help of six tilting propellers, Joby’s electric air taxi can take off and land vertically while making a fraction of the noise that modern helicopters do. The aircraft is anticipated to be used on journeys up to 100 miles long and is designed for quick, back-to-back flights. Thousands of test flights have been accomplished by Joby, including showcase flights in Korea, Japan, and New York City.

In the UK, trips might take eight minutes from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf or fifteen minutes from Manchester Airport to Leeds, rather than eighty minutes by vehicle.

Joby anticipates eventually establishing a network of landing sites that provide quick and easy access to cities and towns across the United Kingdom. At launch, Joby anticipates charging rates that are on pace with those of other premium ground ridesharing services.

In order to pioneer community-to-airport transportation for clients, Joby and Delta Air Lines announced a multi-city, commercial, and operational cooperation in 2022. The Joby/Delta relationship has been expanded to include Virgin Atlantic in the UK, despite the fact that it is mutually exclusive in the US and the UK for at least five years after commercial launch.

After showcasing its aircraft for the first time in the UK at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, Joby declared in July 2022 that it has formally applied to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (“CAA”) to get its aircraft approved for operation.

With a commitment to Net Zero by 2050 and ongoing efforts to lessen its environmental footprint, Virgin Atlantic has been at the forefront of sustainability leadership for more than 15 years. With an average fleet age of less than seven years, the airline has one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the world.

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Virgin Atlantic continued its transition to a fleet of only next-generation aircraft by 2028 when it welcomed its first A330-900s in October 2022.

In order to show that 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can be used safely as a fuel drop in existing infrastructure, engines, and airframes, the airline lead a coalition to deliver the first transatlantic trip on SAF in November 2023.

The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialization ahead of 2030.