US Helicopter suspends 8-minute service from airports to NYC

by Katie Hammel on

New York jet-setters short on time got some bad news last week. US Helicopter, which previously offered 8-minute helicopter flights from two local airports to Manhattan, announced on Friday that it is suspending service.

The chopper company offered flights for $159 each way from JFK and Newark airports to the Wall Street or Midtown West heli-pads in New York City, but has ceased operations due to insufficient funds. The young company (it’s been around for about 3.5 years) has been no stranger to financial troubles. According to Jaunted, they often ran $99 specials to drum up business. Apparently, people just aren’t willing to splurge on private helicopter rides, which cost about four times the price of a cab, during a financial crises. Go figure.

But there’s still hope for the impatient or super-rich. The company says it’s just on hiatus while it gets its “act together” and that it will be back, bigger and better, by November.

US Helicopter gives free seats to Eos passengers

by Grant Martin on

If you’re one of the few who have taken advantage of the new low-cost-business-carrier airlines that have recently become popular, take heed: earlier this week US Helicopter announced a partnership with Eos airlines where they provide free transfers from JFK airport into Manhattan.

It’s icing on the cake for those business travelers flying on the new carrier, boasting only 48 seats on 220 seat jet. Of course, you do have to pay for the approximate 3kUSD first-class airplane ticket first.

If you’re one of the majority of us lay travelers who don’t think that business class or helicopter transfers into the city are right for you, now might be the time to reconsider. With the emergence of several low cost business carriers across the pond (minus one last month), supply has increased and prices are starting to fall. The work and peace of mind that you may preserve flying in business class may well be worth the extra two grand that you have to spend on that ticket.

Besides, who doesn’t want to say they took the helicopter into Manhattan from JFK?