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Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

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Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#211

Post by manacit »

RayVR wrote: post #208

I frequently fly out of JFK. I have lived in three very different areas of Manhattan. Never has it taken me more than 1.5 hours to get to JFK. I would say the mean time is more like 45 minutes. Yellow cabs are fixed rate $55 + tolls. I can get an uber for around the same price, often less depending on time of day. While the idea of having a helicopter fly you out to your airport is great, the actuality of it is likel…

Uber has done helicopter rides from the city to the Hamptons: http://blog.uber.com/nyc/uberchopper-hamptons-shore-2014

I didn't realize it until now, but they've done Uber Chopper in quite a few places: http://blog.uber.com/tag/uberchopper/

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#212

Post by Nrsolis »

lmm wrote: post #166
dogma1138 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also get to Heathrow with a bus or the tube for 10 GBP, still most people either take a much more expensive train or book a car. Getting to JFK in public transport might work for a domestic flight but i won't want to go trough NY's public transport with 2 full suit cases.

Tube is ~5 I think, and bus even less. But the expensive train (15GBP, still much less than $99) gets a lot of advertising and is in all the guidebooks, so many people assume it's the only way to go (plus it's owned by the airport so they try to guide you that way). I've never known anyone who'd book a car, I once took a taxi when the tube broke down and I was running late and it was GBP30 to go ~3 miles. That seems…

FWIW, I've done both trips (tube vs. Heathrow Express) and I much prefer Heathrow Express.

When I travel it's usually for business and the time savings of the Express vs. the Tube just makes it a complete no-brainer for me.

People often complain that it's a very expensive and very short train ride but they forget that the short travel time is a FEATURE.

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#213

Post by slayed0 »

allendoerfer wrote: post #159

As mentioned in the comments, the actual price will be ~200$ with a rented helicopter, which can take up to 6 passenger. My first thoughts as a layman are, if the service takes off [0] it could be made really feasible if they find a way to rent, land and operate a monster like the Mil Mi-26 [1], which takes 60 civilians or 90 troops. People would use the service just to fly to the airport for fun. [0]: https://www.yo…

I think getting stuffed into the back of a windowless Russian military helicopter may conflict with some of the appeal that the service is trying to market.

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#214

Post by lmm »

Nrsolis wrote: post #212
lmm wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tube is ~5 I think, and bus even less. But the expensive train (15GBP, still much less than $99) gets a lot of advertising and is in all the guidebooks, so many people assume it's the only way to go (plus it's owned by the airport so they try to guide you that way). I've never known anyone who'd book a car, I once took a taxi when the tube broke down and I was running late and it was GBP30 to go ~3 miles. That seems…

FWIW, I've done both trips (tube vs. Heathrow Express) and I much prefer Heathrow Express. When I travel it's usually for business and the time savings of the Express vs. the Tube just makes it a complete no-brainer for me. People often complain that it's a very expensive and very short train ride but they forget that the short travel time is a FEATURE.

It's not a short time because the train's fast, it's short because it's not very far. And the claimed speed advantage is based on a somewhat gerrymandered definition of "central london".

The express is sometimes worth it, but it very much depends on where you're going; the express simply dumps you out at Paddington which does not have great onward connections. Whereas the Piccadilly line, being a tube line that goes right through the centre, can often take you directly where you want to go (particularly as a tourist) - Piccadilly itself, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Kings Cross, ...

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#215

Post by Nrsolis »

lmm wrote: post #214
Nrsolis wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, I've done both trips (tube vs. Heathrow Express) and I much prefer Heathrow Express. When I travel it's usually for business and the time savings of the Express vs. the Tube just makes it a complete no-brainer for me. People often complain that it's a very expensive and very short train ride but they forget that the short travel time is a FEATURE.

It's not a short time because the train's fast, it's short because it's not very far. And the claimed speed advantage is based on a somewhat gerrymandered definition of "central london". The express is sometimes worth it, but it very much depends on where you're going; the express simply dumps you out at Paddington which does not have great onward connections. Whereas the Piccadilly line, being a tube line that goes…

None of this matters much to me since I'm often staying someplace close to Paddington and/or Mayfair. If I'm not staying there, I'm off to Canary Wharf and it's a taxi ride no matter what.

If you're fine with lugging baggage up and down the tube stairwells, then fine by you, but I prefer the Express for any number of reasons and time of travel/distance traveled isn't the sole determinant of my choice.

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#216

Post by lmm »

Nrsolis wrote: post #215
lmm wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a short time because the train's fast, it's short because it's not very far. And the claimed speed advantage is based on a somewhat gerrymandered definition of "central london". The express is sometimes worth it, but it very much depends on where you're going; the express simply dumps you out at Paddington which does not have great onward connections. Whereas the Piccadilly line, being a tube line that goes…

None of this matters much to me since I'm often staying someplace close to Paddington and/or Mayfair. If I'm not staying there, I'm off to Canary Wharf and it's a taxi ride no matter what. If you're fine with lugging baggage up and down the tube stairwells, then fine by you, but I prefer the Express for any number of reasons and time of travel/distance traveled isn't the sole determinant of my choice.

If you're staying near Paddington then sure, it makes sense. But for going to Canary Wharf the tube option is pretty nice - just change at Green Park (step-free since the rebuild) to the Jubilee line.

Re: Gotham Air: Manhattan to JFK in 6 minutes for $99

#217

Post by yahelc »

lmm wrote: post #165
yahelc wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

35 minutes is a stretch. Starting at Penn Station, Google Maps has 52m as the minimum and 1h11m as the max. And that's from Penn Station. Add the time it takes to get to Penn Station from where you're going, it can easily be between 1h30m and 2h. I did this trip yesterday, and from where I started in Soho until the airport, it was 1h45m.

Sure, but are you going to be able to get to the helipad any quicker than getting to Penn?

There's only one way to find out.
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