Virgin Atlantic to become exclusive UK airline partner
Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY) shares gained 4% on Wednesday after the electric aircraft developer announced a long-term partnership with Virgin Atlantic to introduce commercial air taxi services across the United Kingdom.
The agreement, unveiled during the Farnborough International Airshow, names Virgin Atlantic as Joby’s exclusive airline partner for UK air taxi operations. The collaboration also strengthens Joby’s relationship with Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic.
Air taxi bookings to be integrated into Virgin Atlantic platform
As part of the partnership, customers will be able to reserve Joby’s electric air taxi flights directly through Virgin Atlantic’s existing booking channels, including its website and mobile application.
The service is designed to connect passengers seamlessly with long-haul flights, offering faster transfers to and from major airports.
Joby intends to begin operations from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at London Heathrow and Manchester Airport. Manchester will serve as the primary gateway for expanding services across Northern England.
Among the first planned routes are flights between Manchester Airport and Leeds, expected to take around 15 minutes, and journeys between Heathrow and central London in as little as eight minutes—trips that can currently exceed an hour by road.
Companies to share rollout responsibilities
Virgin Atlantic will focus on integrating the new service into its airport operations while supporting customer adoption and marketing efforts.
Joby will remain responsible for operating the aircraft, managing the route network and obtaining all required approvals from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
The company said it expects to expand its electric air taxi network to additional cities and regional communities across the UK as the service develops.
Certification efforts continue ahead of commercial launch
Joby’s all-electric aircraft features six tilting propellers that enable vertical takeoff and landing and is designed to operate routes of up to 100 miles.
The company has already completed thousands of test flights, including recent demonstration flights in San Francisco and New York City.
Certification work is continuing under the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, supporting the aircraft’s path toward commercial operations.
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