Virgin Atlantic has partnered with a company to develop and launch an electric air taxi, which could cut journey times to destinations across the UK to minutes
Virgin Atlantic has unveiled new flying taxis that could soon cut journey times across the UK to minutes.
The aviation firm has announced a partnership with Joby Aviation, a California-based company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, to launch Joby’s revolutionary air taxi service in the UK.
The electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers to speeds up to 200 mph. Once launched, journeys in the UK could included a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds or an eight-minute journey from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf, instead of 80 minutes via car.
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Eventually, Joby hopes to build out a network of landing locations that offer rapid and convenient travel around cities and communities throughout the UK, as well as offering prices that are comparable with current premium ground ridesharing options.
The new partnership will build on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines — which owns a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic — to launch service in the US and UK. When up and running, Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to reserve a seat on Joby’s aircraft through Virgin Atlantic’s app, website and other channels.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, said: “Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to delighting its customers reflects our experience with Delta 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.”
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.”
The electric air taxi uses six tilting propellers, which helps it take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise that helicopters produce today. In addition, the aircraft is optimised for rapid, back-to-back flights and is expected to be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles.
The aircraft was first exhibited in the UK in 2024 at Farnborough International Airshow, and in 2022, Joby announced that it had applied to have its aircraft validated for use by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Virgin Atlantic also recently announced that their customers can now use the new Share Item Location feature to privately and securely share the location of their AirTag or Find My network accessory with the airline’s customer teams. The feature allows the airline to locate delayed bags and reunite them with passengers more quickly.