Virgin Atlantic and Joby Aviation, Inc. (a Californian company which develops electric aircraft intended for commercial passenger transport) have announced an exciting partnership aiming to bring Joby’s revolutionary air taxi service to UK skies.
Joby is already working with Delta Air Lines (which owns a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic) to bring an air taxi service to the US. This latest exciting announcement could mean us also seeing these unique aircraft hovering over our heads in the UK!
The focus is on zero-emission, short-range journeys within the UK, which will initially be from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport. Virgin Atlantic will be assisting with UK marketing and infrastructure efforts.
Joby’s electric air taxi carries a pilot and up to four passengers and can attain speeds of up to 200 mph. Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to reserve seats through Virgin Atlantic’s app, website, and other channels.
One burning question that we have at this point, is whether we will be able to spend our hard earned Virgin points to travel in these unique and interesting VTOL (Vertical Take Off Or Landing) aircraft…
All photos Courtesy of Joby Aviation. (c) Joby Aero, Inc.
About the Joby Electric Air Taxi
- VTOL capability.
- Emissions : zero
- One pilot, four passengers.
- Top speed : 200mph
The aircraft uses six tilting propellers that allow it to take off and land vertically (VTOL), but with noise emissions being a tiny fraction of that produced by today’s helicopters. The aircraft is designed for rapid turnaround between flights and is expected to be used on routes of up to 100 miles.
Noise level is cited by Joby as being “Quiet as a conversation”.
Apparently thousands of test flights have been carried out already, including demo flights in New York City, Japan and Korea.
Joby’s aircraft was exhibited in the UK at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. In July 2022 the company announced that it had formally applied to have its aircraft validated for use by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Potential journeys
Potential journeys within the UK could include a flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds (15-minutes), or Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf (8-minutes). Joby say they expect to build a network of dedicated landing locations that offer rapid and convenient travel around cities and communities throughout the UK. We would very much hope to see this too, as having to pass through a major international airport to use the service seems rather sub-optimal.
One of the most exciting aspects of all this is that Joby say they expect to offer prices that compare with existing premium ground ridesharing options. Presumably this may mean prices that compete with Uber’s premium services, however this remains to be seen.
Another question we would have is what luggage capacity might be viable. It would be amazing for us to be able to hop from our base in Milton Keynes to Luton, Stansted or Heathrow with our luggage for a flight!
About Joby Aviation Inc.
Joby Aviation, Inc. is a California-based company which is developing its all-electric VTOL air taxi with which it intends to offer fast, quiet, and convenient services in cities around the world. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com.
Founder and CEO of Joby, JoeBen Bevirt : “Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to delighting its customers is unparalleled 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 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. We look forward to working together to bring Joby’s service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.”
Final thoughts
We feel very excited about this. Not only is it thrilling to think that short haul air travel like this could soon be accessible, but let’s face it, the aircraft just looks straight up ultra-cool with the Virgin Atlantic livery.
It remains to be seen how the infrastructure side will pan out, and we certainly have reservations about how efficiently this would work using major airports as hubs. Hopefully multiple dedicated and convenient heliport type hubs for the aircraft would come on stream as things progress.
In hope and anticipation, we will be saving up those Virgin points!
READ OUR REVIEW OF VIRGIN’S POINTS EARNING CARD HERE
