An Uber for helicopters? Yes it's a thing.
If you find yourself scrambling to get to the airport in New York and can spare two-hundred bucks, a new mobile application will help you to make like Anna in the movie Predator and "."
A new ride-sharing helicopter service,聽, launched today in New York. Riders can use the service to travel from one of three helipads in downtown Manhattan to JFK Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport in six minutes. Customers can either book a ride online or through a mobile app. According to Gizmodo, the first 2,500 people to sign up for the Beta test received an invite to download the application today.
For starters, the service will connect passengers with on-call , according to Gizmodo. The have been leased by Gotham Air through the 聽or HFS of New York, according to the New York Post. Gotham Air is not the direct air-carrier and its website and app will serve as a booking service.
All flights will have to carry 4-6 passengers. Therefore, the only way to book a last minute chopper out of Dodge is to hope that three other passengers have booked their helicopter ride ahead of time.
Gotham Air CEO Tim Hayes told Gizmodo that at launch the service would be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, while relying on his on-call network of pilots and choppers. His goal is to have the service extended to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and eventually to 24 hours a day. Mr. Hayes told Gizmodo that he may be open to introducing the service in other major cities.
Ideas for ride-sharing startups for air travel have been floated in the past. Jay-Z and Ashton Kutcher's attempt to create an 鈥淯ber plane" service called "" over a year ago struggled to build a following, and has since been forced to scaled back operations, according to Gawker. That service costs an annual membership fee of $2,500 for the privilege of booking a seat on a private jet at a moment鈥檚 notice.
Gotham Air is unique because of its relatively low price. Chartering a聽helicopter ride can usually run聽well over $1,000, but first-time customers will be awarded a of a single ride for $99, at certain hours of the week.
Otherwise, rides will generally cost $199 to $219, depending on time of day and which airport the passengers are going to. Flights include on-board refreshments provided by chef Thomas Keller鈥檚 Bouchon Bakery, and luggage is free under 25 pounds.
鈥淐hopper rides shouldn鈥檛 be reserved for the super-elite,鈥� Mr. Hayes the New York Post back in January. 鈥淲e want to give as many people as possible the chance to experience a helicopter flight.鈥�
[Editor's note: This article has been changed from its original version to more accurately describe Blackjet.]
