Early in October 2019, ride-hailing service, Uber launched Uber Copter, a helicopter transportation in New York. Although it may not be the futuristic type of electric powered air taxi many have in mind, it is still welcomed progress.
For now, it is limited to trips from Manhattan Heliport to the JFK Airport. Available only on weekdays between 2-6 pm, it can transport a maximum of five people at a time.
YouTube videos exist that show the successful tests of the service. See one below:
It only costs between $200 to $225, and the flight takes a total of nine minutes, with more than one minute dedicated to watching a safety video.
The pricing is dependent on demands. But why would people pay as high as that for an eight to nine minutes long flight? It is definitely not just for the luxury of staying off the ground or the view.
The traffic situation in Manhattan is a serious problem. Normally, the ride through the road to the International Airport would take 24 minutes. However, it is more than double that time with the congestion. It takes up to 45 to 60 minutes to cover this distance.
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Many do not have the patience and seek to avoid it totally. This is why Uber is deploying this helicopter service called Uber Copter.
To use it, people only have to select the option on the Uber smartphone application. However, they can book trips as early as five days in advance or thirty minutes before it. Then an Uber car picks them from their location and drops them off at the Lower Manhattan Heliport.
Once there, they board the helicopter with only one suitcase or bag weighing a maximum of 40 pounds (18 Kilograms) and a personal item. Before leaving, passengers have to watch a 90-second safety video. Then the eight-minute flight commences.
After landing at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, an Uber car takes them to their destination terminal. Soon, the way we commute will be totally different.
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