There’s nothing quite like going on holiday, but the logistics of getting to and from the airport can be a bit of a faff, right?
Depending on the time of your flight, you might find yourself getting up at the crack of dawn so you can drive to the airport, check in and make it through security in plenty of time.
But all that hassle will one day soon be a thing of the past, at least for those travelling with Virgin Atlantic with cash to burn.
That’s because the airline has just announced a new partnership with Job Aviation to launch a ‘revolutionary’ air taxi service across the UK.
Joby is a California-based company that develops electric air taxis for commercial passenger service. Their zero emission aircrafts are intended for rapid, back-to-back flights and can fit a pilot and four passengers on board.
They can travel at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and use six tilting propellers to take off and land vertically with a ‘fraction of the noise produced by helicopters’.
When in service, the air taxis will be deployed on UK routes of up to 100 miles, starting with regional and city connections from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Examples of trips could include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds (a journey which would typically take an hour in a car) or an eight-minute flight from Heathrow to Canary Wharf – a trip that takes 80 minutes on the road.
It’s not yet known when exactly this service will be available from, but the companies claim it’s ‘on the horizon’.
Prices for the service haven’t been revealed yet either, but they are expected to be ‘comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options’ at the time of launch.
When the service does launch, Virgin Atlantic customers interested in giving it a go will be able to reserve a seat on Joby’s aircraft through Virgin Atlantic’s app, website and other channels.
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. We look forward to working together to bring Joby’s service to the UK and to deliver greater connectivity for our customers.’
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, added: ‘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.’
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 Civil Aviation Authority (“CAA”). It’s since completed thousands of test flights, including exhibition flights in New York City, Japan and Korea.
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