An eight-minute hop from Heathrow to central London and a quarter of an hour from Manchester Airport to Leeds.
That is the pitch Virgin Atlantic and Joby Aviation put to the business travel market on Wednesday, as the two companies signed a binding, multi-year agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow to bring electric air taxis to the UK.
The deal converts a partnership first announced in 2025 into a commercial framework, making Virgin Atlantic the exclusive airline partner for Joby’s UK air taxi service. It builds on Joby’s existing tie-up with Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic.
Under the agreement, Virgin will sell the service through its own app and website, allowing travellers to book an air taxi connection alongside a long-haul ticket. London and Manchester are the launch hubs, with Manchester anchoring connections across the North of England.
“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, chief executive 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.”
For business owners, three things are worth noting.
The first is competitive. The signing lands two days after Vertical Aerospace confirmed it will build its flying taxis in Britain following a further £10 million of government money. Britain’s domestic champion has the factory and the jobs. The American entrant has the airline, the booking channel and the customer list. Distribution, as any founder knows, is rarely the easy half.
The second is regulatory, and it sets the timetable. Joby retains sole responsibility for aircraft operations, route management and securing UK Civil Aviation Authority approvals. The CAA’s stated ambition is to have the regulatory frameworks for commercial passenger eVTOL flights in place by the end of 2028, with rules on airworthiness, pilot licensing and vertiport design still working through consultation. Joby’s certification is progressing under the bilateral safety agreement between the FAA and the CAA. Nothing carries a paying passenger before that paperwork clears.
The third is the supply chain. Vertiports need construction, power, ground handling, security and maintenance, none of which Joby or Virgin will build alone. The Government has already committed £46.5 million to fast-track drones and flying taxis, of which £26.5 million runs through the CAA, and values the wider sector at up to £103 billion to the economy by 2050. Smaller engineering and infrastructure firms with aviation credentials have a window to position themselves now, while procurement is being designed rather than awarded.
JoeBen Bevirt, Joby’s founder and chief executive, was careful with his language. “The UK is one of the most exciting markets for this technology, and this partnership could drive significant opportunities for Joby as we bring air taxi service to some of the country’s busiest cities,” he said.
The aircraft itself uses six tilting propellers, takes off vertically with a fraction of the noise of a helicopter and is designed for routes of up to 100 miles. Joby has flown thousands of test flights, including point-to-point demonstrations between JFK and Manhattan. A full-scale model drew crowds at Potters Fields Park in London earlier this month.
Coming in a week when Farnborough opened with $48.8 billion of orders, the announcement is a reminder that the advanced air mobility race is now being fought over customers as much as airframes. For the average SME, the eight-minute Heathrow transfer will not be a line item any time soon. For those building, servicing or financing the infrastructure beneath it, the clock started this week.
