Californian electric air taxi company Joby Aviation has entered into a partnership with Virgin Atlantic, in order to develop Joby's service in the UK.

The partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic, to launch a service in the US and UK, and brings together brands committed to innovation, customer service and challenging the status quo.

The partnership aims to offer seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK, starting with regional and city connections from Virgin Atlantic's hubs at London Heathrow and Manchester airport. Virgin Atlantic will support Joby's go-to-market efforts in the UK through marketing the service to its 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 mph, 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.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, comments: “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.”

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss adds: “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. We look forward to working together to bring Joby's service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.”

Joby's electric air taxi utilises six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by today's 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 eight-minute journey from Heathrow Airport 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. 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 to pioneer community-to-airport transportation for customers. While the Joby/Delta 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 CAA.