joby and virgin atlantic to bring electric air taxis to the UK with flights to london in 8 minutes

Electric air taxis in the UK with london flights

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic team up to bring electric air taxis in the UK with flights to London in as little as eight minutes. The teams expect to launch ‘zero-emission’ and short-range journeys. The first operation starts within Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport. There’s no news yet on when the first flights are set to take off. So far, the electric air taxis in the UK include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds.

On top of that, a trip from Heathrow Airport to central London can also take as little as 8 minutes. The same goes from Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf with the aircraft, instead of 80 minutes by car. Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic eye to expand the network of landing locations across the cities and even communities in the UK. They aim to offer ‘prices that are comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options at launch.’ The partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic.

all images courtesy of Joby Aviation

joby aviation and virgin atlantic to offer back-to-back flights

Design-wise, Joby Aviation’s electric air taxis can carry a pilot and up to four passengers at once. They fly at a speed of up to 200 miles per hour. There are six tilting propellers around the aircraft, helping it take off and land vertically. The aviation company says the noise they produce is a fraction of those produced by today’s helicopters. The design of the electric air taxis set to appear in the UK for to-and-from flights can conduct rapid, back-to-back flights. So far, the expected deployment on routes is up to 100 miles. 

Joby Aviation has completed thousands of test flights, including exhibition flights in New York City, Japan, and Korea at the present time. The company exhibited its aircraft in the UK at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. Then in July 2022, it formally applied to have its aircraft validated for use by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). With Virgin Atlantic, customers can book their flights on the aircraft using the airline’s app. Presently, the teams are developing the electric air taxis, with news about the operation in the UK and London yet to be announced.

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic team up to bring electric air taxis in the UK with flights to London

the teams expect to launch ‘zero-emission’ and short-range journeys

the first operation starts within Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport

so far, the electric air taxis in the UK include a 15-minute flight from Manchester Airport to Leeds

a trip from Heathrow Airport to central London can also take as little as 8 minutes

project info:

name: Electric air taxis

companies: Joby Aviation, Virgin Atlantic | @jobyaviation, @virginatlantic