  
| 
| |||||||||||||||||
Air option for Manhattan's high fliersHelicopters promise traffic-busting 8-minute airport link
 U.S. Helicopter's service promises a swift route into Manhattan. BUSINESS TRAVELLER
HAVE YOUR SAY
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- About 3.6 million people make their way onto New York's Manhattan Island every working day, creating some of the world's worst traffic jams. For business travelers whose work involves regular trips to and from the city's airports, the gridlock is a permanent headache that eats hours out of busy schedules and costs dearly in terms of missed deadlines and galloping taxi bills. Which is where a new low-cost helicopter service comes in. Launched last month, U.S. Helicopter Copter taxis are nothing new. Wealthy travelers in traffic-snarled cities like Brazil's Sao Paulo regularly use shared helicopter services. A similar shuttle service even ran in New York in the 1970s but was suspended in 1977 when a faulty rotor led to the deaths of five people. But with a lack of serious public transport options serving JFK, and taxi fares that -- depending on how bad the traffic gets -- can sometimes run into three figures, the U.S. Helicopter service is one of the first to actually target ordinary business commuters. "In business, time is money, and an hour can make or break a deal," says U.S. Helicopter chief Jerry Murphy. "By reducing the airport commute up to 90 percent with a fast, reliable and cost-efficient mode of transport, business travelers are now able to maximize their time at the office." The new service costs in the region of $160 for a one-way trip that lasts about eight minutes. Compared to a $50 one or two hour taxi ride or even the city's much trumpeted AirTrain service, which merely links JFK to the outer reaches of the confusing subway system, passengers may well be swayed. "With U.S. Helicopter, they no longer face the uncertainty of how much time to allow for travel to and from the airport based on traffic gridlock, congestion, construction and road closure," adds Murphy. Additional routes between New York's other two major airports are expected to begin in the near future, following the expansion of the company's fleet of eight-seater Sikorsky S76s. Despite the apparent advantages, many New Yorkers may be wary of boarding a helicopter, particularly following a spate of air accidents over the city in the past year. Stuck for hoursLast June, a sightseeing helicopter plunged into the East River injuring its seven passengers. Less than a month earlier, another sightseeing plane -- this time a single engine Cessna -- crashed onto the beach at Coney Island, killing the pilot and three passengers. Liz Fried, who owns her own small business in Manhattan, said she would have qualms about using the shuttle service. "I'm a bit sketchy about getting in a helicopter because of the recent crashes, but that's just me," she told CNN. "I don't think the service is for somebody like me who runs a small business. But I would consider it if I was traveling at a peak holiday time when you can't predict how long you're going to be caught in traffic. I've tried that in the past and been stuck for hours." Others are more positive. "It's a great idea," says Siggy Jonsson, who helps manage an immigration law firm in Manhattan. "A taxi or car service can run anywhere between $45 and $200 and you are still relying on traffic conditions. "New York could definitely benefit from a fast service to JFK. Every New Yorker wishes they could get there faster, and those who can afford it will most likely opt for the helicopter for speed and convenience." 
|
| |||||||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
 |
|
has begun operating scheduled shuttle flights from New York's JFK airport to a helipad in downtown Manhattan.
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
