Joby air taxi arrives in London in Virgin Atlantic colours ahead of UK debut

Joby Aviation has brought its all-electric air taxi to central London in Virgin Atlantic livery, giving the British public its first close-up look at the aircraft that the two companies hope will one day transform short-distance travel across the UK.

The aircraft is on display at Potters Fields Park beside Tower Bridge from July 10-12 as part of its UK public debut. 

Visitors can view the four-passenger electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which carries Virgin Atlantic branding, and learn more about how the companies envision integrating the service into the UK’s transport network.

Joby’s eVTOL promises Uber-style urban air travel in London

The aircraft on display would operate as an on-demand air taxi, allowing passengers to book flights much as they would a rideshare service like Uber today.

Joby’s aircraft carries one pilot and up to four passengers, cruises at speeds of up to 200 mph, and has a range of approximately 100 miles. Unlike conventional helicopters, it uses six electrically powered tilting propellers designed to reduce noise while significantly reducing operational emissions. 

Virgin Atlantic partnership moves closer to reality

The London appearance follows a strategic partnership announced between Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic in early 2025.

Under the agreement, Virgin Atlantic will help market the air taxi service, work alongside Joby to engage UK regulators and support the development of landing infrastructure. Customers will be able to book Joby flights directly through Virgin Atlantic’s website and app once services launch. 

The partnership also leverages Virgin Atlantic’s relationship with Delta Air Lines, which is both a major shareholder in Virgin Atlantic and an existing strategic investor and commercial partner of Joby.

Planned routes from Heathrow and Manchester

The companies initially plan to connect Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester with nearby cities and business districts.

Illustrative routes include:

• Heathrow to Canary Wharf in around eight minutes
• Manchester Airport to Leeds in approximately 15 minutes

These journeys would replace road travel, which can take well over an hour during busy periods. Joby has said fares would be comparable to those of premium rideshare services. 

In future, the network could expand to include landing sites at various UK cities and communities.

Joby and Virgin build toward commercial operations

While the aircraft’s arrival in London is primarily a public showcase, Joby continues progressing toward commercial certification.

The California-based company has completed thousands of flight tests and has already conducted demonstration flights in New York, Japan, South Korea and Dubai as it prepares for commercial operations. It first displayed the aircraft in the UK at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow and applied for validation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority in 2022. 

The Virgin Atlantic-branded aircraft at Tower Bridge hints at how the two companies intend their future service to look, bringing the vision of zero-emission urban air mobility to one of the world’s busiest capital cities.