LONDON – Delta Air Lines looks towards the future of air travel with this week’s announcement of a partnership to develop home-to-airport eVTOL transport.
The US airline is embarking on a multi-year, multi-market commercial and operational partnership with Joby Aviation, Inc. to deliver a sustainable home-to-airport transportation service to Delta customers, beginning in New York and Los Angeles.
As part of the first-of-its-kind arrangement, the companies will work together to integrate a Joby-operated service into Delta’s customer-facing channels.
This will provide customers who travel with Delta through New York and Los Angeles the opportunity to reserve a seat for seamless, zero-operating-emission, short-range journeys to and from city airports when booking Delta travel.
Delta has made an upfront equity investment of $60 million in Joby, with the opportunity to expand the total investment up to $200 million as the partners achieve substantive milestones on the development and delivery of the service.
The partners will work together to provide Delta customers with seamless booking, simplified transit and greater time savings. This will run alongside Joby’s standard airport service in priority markets.
The partnership will be mutually exclusive across both the U.S. and U.K. for five years following commercial launch, with the potential to extend that period.
Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt and Delta CEO Ed Bastian pose for a photo on Oct. 10, 2022. Photo Credit: Delta Air Lines.
Delta Air Lines statement
“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,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian.
“This is a ground-breaking 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.”
“Delta is differentiating and amplifying the customer experience with premium products, choices and solutions across the journey,” added Allison Ausband, Delta’s E.V.P. and Chief Customer Experience Officer.
“Addressing what matters most to our customers is foundational to our focus, and our work with Joby is the latest in a series of ways we’re making the experience of travel more seamless, enjoyable and wait-free.”
Joby Aviation statement
“We share Delta’s unwavering commitment to delivering seamless and sustainable journeys to customers,” said Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt.
“Their 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.”
Joby’s eVTOL aircraft is designed to fly fast, quiet and sustainable trips in and around cities. The aircraft has flown more than 1,000 test flights, demonstrating its range, speed, altitude and low noise profile.
The company was the first eVTOL company to be granted a G-1 (Stage 4) Certification Basis for its aircraft by the FAA and recently received its Part 135 Air Carrier Certification.
