Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic today signed a definitive agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow, formalizing the partnership the companies first announced in 2025 to bring Joby’s air taxi service to the UK.
Under the agreement, Virgin Atlantic will offer Joby’s air taxi service through its booking platforms, including mobile app and website. This will allow travellers in the UK to book a seamless air taxi connection alongside their long-haul flights, say the companies. Joby plans to launch service at Virgin Atlantic’s hubs in London and Manchester, with Manchester anchoring Joby’s connections across the North of England. Early routes are expected to include Manchester Airport to Leeds in approximately 15 minutes and Heathrow to Central London in as little as 8 minutes, journeys that take over an hour by car today.
“The agreement converts the partnership announced in 2025 into a binding, multi-year commercial framework, establishing Virgin Atlantic as Joby’s exclusive airline partner for air taxi services in the UK,” say the companies in a press statement. “The collaboration builds on Joby’s existing partnership with Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic, bringing together three brands focused on faster, more convenient travel across the UK. In 2022, Joby and Delta announced a multi-city partnership to pioneer community-to-airport transportation, which is mutually exclusive across the US and UK. Delta and Virgin Atlantic operate as partners across a shared transatlantic network, and Joby’s UK partnership with Virgin Atlantic complements and expands its partnership with Delta.”
“This agreement marks an exciting next chapter in our partnership with Joby and a significant step towards bringing electric air taxi services to the UK,” said Corneel Koster, CEO of Virgin Atlantic. “Together, we’ll create more seamless journeys for our customers, making it easier than ever to travel between towns, cities and our airports. Innovation has always been part of Virgin Atlantic’s DNA, and we’re proud to partner with Joby to help shape the future of travel while delivering the premium customer experience we’re known for.”
Joby will retain sole responsibility for aircraft operations, route management, and securing UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulatory approvals, while Virgin Atlantic will support infrastructure integration and customer acquisition at both hubs. Over time, Joby expects to expand this network to a wide range of cities and communities across the UK.
For more information
https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-and-virgin-atlantic-finalize-deal-to-bring-electric-air-taxi-service-to-the-uk
(Image: Joby)