Delta Air Lines is back at it again with another innovative partnership. The airline launched its collaboration with Joby Aviation today to fly passengers to the airport with Joby’s air taxis. Getting to the airport will soon be a breeze.
The home-to-airport transportation service will service Delta customers in New York City and Los Angeles and eventually expand to other cities across the U.S. and the U.K.
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Air taxis to the airport!?
This first-of-its-kind partnership will provide Delta customers traveling from New York City and Los Angeles with an easy air taxi to and from city airports. Travelers will be able to book a zero-emission, short-range journey, cutting down their travel times to and from the airport.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian says, “Delta always looks forward and embraces opportunities to lead the future, and we’ve found in Joby a partner that shares our pioneering spirit and commitment to delivering innovative, seamless experiences that are better for our customers, their journeys and our world.”
Bastian continues, “This is a groundbreaking opportunity for Delta to deliver a time-saving, uniquely premium home-to-airport solution for customers in key markets we’ve been investing and innovating in for many years.”
The partnership will be mutually exclusive for five years after the commercial launch and will service the U.S. and the U.K.
Delta’s commitment to innovative partnerships
The airline has invested $60 million in Joby, with an opportunity to invest up to $200 million if the partnership goes well.
Delta has invested in companies such as CLEAR and Wheels Up and is committed to investing in partnerships that push the travel industry forward.
“Their [Delta Air Lines] history of innovation, along with their vast operational expertise and leadership on climate change, make them incredible partners for Joby, and it’s an honor to be working alongside them,” says JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby.
Joby’s aircraft
Joby’s aircraft is intentionally designed to fly fast, quiet, and sustainability around cities. There have been over 1,000 test flights by the aircraft on its speed, low noise profile, altitude, and range. Joby is the first eVTOL (electric vertical take-off-and-landing) company to receive fourth-stage approval from the FAA. There are currently five stages.
According to Bevirt, the travel time from downtown Manhattan to JFK airport can take about an hour or more. With Joby, the travel time will be cut to less than 10 minutes.
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