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Business

Uber makes JFK airport helicopter taxis available to all users

By
Natalie O'Neill
Published Oct. 3, 2019
Updated Oct. 3, 2019, 2:52 p.m. ET

This takes ride-hailing to new heights.

Uber took to the skies Thursday with a new helicopter service that zips passengers from Manhattan to JFK Airport.

The eight-minute Uber Copter lift from Lower Manhattan, which was previously only offered to its “premium” members, includes street rides to and from helicopter ports for between $200 and $250, according the firm.

To catch one of the rides, passengers must book the flight through the app and then watch a company safety video about flying.

They can then soar from the company’s Manhattan heliport, near the Staten Island Ferry terminal, to a helipad near Terminal 8 at JFK, according to reps from the company.

Travelers are allowed to bring one small suitcase in the helicopter, according to Uber, which has partnered with local firm HeliFlite Shares.

The ride-sharing giant said one of the program’s goals is to shrink airport travel times.

But when a Reuters reporter tried the Uber Copter Wednesday, it took 70 minutes from Midtown to the airport, including a subway ride Downtown and Ubers to and from heliports — roughly on par with taking a taxi the whole way.

An Uber spokeswoman later said the trip wasn’t “realistic” because the Copter wouldn’t show up as an option for users outside Lower Manhattan.

“Uber Copter won’t appear as an option in the app if you are outside of the geofence because it wouldn’t provide time savings,” the spokeswoman said.

The firm may eventually expand the allowed Manhattan pick-up zone, said Eric Allison, head of Elevate, Uber’s aerial ride-hailing program.

“Helicopters are certainly expensive and it will be a premium product, but we think we’re actually able to offer a fairly accessible entry point with Uber Copter,” he said.

Uber hopes its NYC Copter roll-out will pave the way for Uber Air, a taxi service of electric “vertical take-off and landing” aircraft.

In June, Uber launched the helicopter service only to Platinum members — customers who spend at least $2,500 with the company during a six-month period.

with Post wires