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London: Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd is linking up with commuter aviation startup Joby Aviation Inc to offer passengers in Britain seamless booking and quicker travel to and from airports once air taxi service is approved in the country.
“We’re going to launch it together in Britain as soon as we practically can,” Virgin Atlantic chief executive officer Shai Weiss said in an interview. “The simple way of thinking about it is: Canary Wharf to New York,” he said, referring to the London district that’s home to major financial institutions.
Joby is one of several manufacturers of electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft designed to fly customers on short commuter journeys.
It plans to start its first commercial service operations in Dubai later this year or early next year.
The company expects concurrent validation by Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority of its application for certification with the US Federal Aviation Administration, which is currently pending.
In London, Joby said it envisions 11-minute short hops connecting Heathrow Airport and Canary Wharf at prices “comparable with existing premium ground ridesharing options.”
One of the issues is securing take-off and landing sites, or vertiports.
Joby will own and operate some of these, but also is looking to municipalities and third-party investors to help build out the infrastructure.
“That may be the longest-lead item in getting this service launched, just like it is today in Dubai,” JoeBen Bevirt, the company’s chief executive officer, said in the joint interview.
Commercial terms of the Virgin partnership with Joby were not disclosed.
Delta Air Lines Inc, which owns stakes in both Virgin Atlantic and Joby, has a similar partnership with the Santa Cruz, California-based air taxi company. — Bloomberg
