Virgin Atlantic yesterday announced the launch of a unique new scheme that will assist passengers to find fellow travellers to share taxis from the world’s airports into towns. The initiative will save both money and carbon emissions.

The Taxi2 website can put people in touch who are arriving at the same time or even on the same flights that have similar end destinations in mind, be it city or countryside.

Customers wishing to use the service can log on to the taxi.to website and enter their relevant information such as hotel address. The site will then find an appropriate companion.

The individual passengers are sent the details of their matched traveller and can then decide if they wish to proceed with making meeting arrangements.

Once the process is complete simply print off the company sign for easy identification at the airport. The system can also match female travellers together and is not limited to just Virgin Atlantic customers, any airline passenger is welcome to join and share.

According to Virgin Atlantic’s Director of Product and Service Dee Cooper the initiative shows how the passenger’s journeys can be improved with simple, clever offerings. Cooper added that the company expects the scheme to prove popular with customers.

 “We are delighted to be partnering with Virgin Atlantic for this scheme, and our expectation is that this simple, sensible way or saving money and cutting down congestion and carbon footprint will become common activity for air travellers worldwide,” said Taxi2 founder Ed Maklouf.

The scheme was born from Virgin Atlantic’s VJAM alliance with NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. NESTA is a world leader in social programmes and heads the economic recovery drive through promoting social initiatives.