Virgin territory: Joby finalises deal with Virgin Atlantic to launch electric air taxi service in the UK

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic have signed a landmark, multi-year agreement that builds on the eVTOL developer’s existing arrangement with Delta Air Lines.

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic signed a binding, multi-year agreement on Wednesday morning. The deal converts the partnership the two companies first announced in 2025 into a formal commercial framework to bring electric air taxi service to the UK.

Innovation in Joby Aviation and Virgin’s DNA

Under the deal, Virgin Atlantic becomes Joby’s exclusive UK airline partner for air taxi services, integrating Joby’s booking options into its app and website so passengers can pair a long-haul flight with a seamless air taxi connection.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at Farnborough International Airshow, JoeBen Bevirt, Joby Aviation’s CEO said, “We’ve been making spectacular progress on the certification of our aircraft. We’re now in stage five of certification with the FAA, the final stage of certification… Being able to bring this next stage of quiet, clean flight to cities around the world, and specifically to London and the UK is a journey the Joby team have been on for many years. Our goal is to conduct our first flight here in the UK from London to Farnborough for the next airshow in two years.”

He also underlined that Virgin is an “iconic brand” with a “remarkable dedication to customer service that we want to learn from.”

Corneel Koster, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said the agreement is “an exciting next chapter in our partnership with Joby and to bringing electric air taxi services to the UK.”

He added that together, the two companies aim to make it easier than ever to travel between towns, cities and 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.”

Primary UK hubs key connection points in Joby-Virgin collaboration

London Heathrow and Manchester Airport are expected to be the primary UK hubs, with Manchester anchoring connections across the North of England. Early routes being considered include a roughly 15-minute hop between Manchester Airport and Leeds, and an 8-minute connection between Heathrow and Central London. Both are journeys that can take well over an hour by road today.

“Looking at where Joby is in their certification, they are arguably the world leader in this beautiful new eVTOL technology,’ said Koster. “They are very far advanced in bringing zero-emissions journeys to the US, Dubai, the UK and the rest of the world. We are proud to cheer you on, to champion what you have to offer, and to work in partnership with you.”

The partnership builds on Joby’s existing relationship with Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, linking three major transport brands around the shared goal of faster, more convenient travel. Joby will retain full responsibility for aircraft operations, route management, and UK Civil Aviation Authority approvals, while Virgin Atlantic will support infrastructure integration and customer acquisition.

Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said Virgin Atlantic’s reputation for customer experience made it the right partner to represent Joby in the market. “The UK is one of the most exciting markets for this technology,” he added, noting the partnership could “drive significant opportunities for Joby as we bring air taxi service to some of the country’s busiest cities.”

Why Joby’s tie-up with Virgin is more than a marketing campaign

Speaking to Aerospace Global News at Farnborough International Airshow on Tuesday, Joby’s President of Operations Bonny Simi said the Virgin Atlantic tie-up carries weight beyond marketing. A former United and JetBlue airline pilot who first invested in Joby in its early days before joining full-time in 2020, Simi revealed that “back in 2017, I had a vision and belief that electric propulsion would change aviation for the better, just like jet propulsion, so I wanted to find a company to invest in that I felt would lead that revolution.”

Pairing Joby with recognisable, established brands like Toyota, Delta and Virgin, she said, “helps build trust” and signals that Joby is a serious, credible operator rather than an unproven startup. She added that having a partner “rooted in the UK specifically strengthens Joby’s position as it works to secure access to major infrastructure such as Heathrow… And quite frankly Virgin is the perfect fit for the Joby brand.”

Joby’s “flawless” test flights in New York prove the technology can integrate seamlessly with commercial air traffic

Simi also pointed to Joby’s recent test flights in New York, where the S4 aircraft, featuring six tilting propellers, flew scheduled routes between JFK Airport and Manhattan alongside commercial air traffic. This, she said, demonstrates our technology is can “integrate smoothly into existing, highly regulated airspace.” She noted that the flights “were flawless” and that they proceeded without incident, reinforcing confidence among regulators and airport authorities.

On the path to commercial service, Simi said Joby continues to work through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Early Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) in the US, alongside continued operations in the UAE, ahead of pursuing full UK type certification. She indicated that experience gained operating commercially in the US and UAE should ease Joby’s eventual rollout in the UK, and beyond. Japan is also a big target market for Joby’s air taxi services.

“We have to keep proving our pace, and it’s not going to be on a commercial scale by any stretch, but I do see us launching services within the next year,” Simi confirmed.

The Virgin Atlantic agreement follows a public display of a full-scale Joby aircraft model at Potters Fields Park in London earlier this month, giving members of the public a first look at the aircraft ahead of the airline partnership’s formal launch.