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

gothamair.com

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

#41

Post by ovb »

nostromo wrote: post #21

A service like this existed until a few years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Helicopter It took just a few minutes to get to EWR or JFK and cost $159. The biggest selling point was not only the short commute, but that you went through security at the helipad very quickly, rather than waiting at the airport. I believe they were a victim of the financial crisis and died around that time.

And before US Helicopter, there was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Airways

New York Airways had one notable accident: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/may-16-1977-hel...

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

#42

Post by nerfhammer »

mathattack wrote: post #17

This is an unfortunate sign that Manhattan is turning into Sao Paulo or Hong Kong.

Helicopter shuttle services have been running on and off in NY since the 1950's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Airways

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Helicopter

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

#44

Post by nerfhammer »

dannylandau wrote: post #39
nostromo wrote: post #21

A service like this existed until a few years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Helicopter It took just a few minutes to get to EWR or JFK and cost $159. The biggest selling point was not only the short commute, but that you went through security at the helipad very quickly, rather than waiting at the airport. I believe they were a victim of the financial crisis and died around that time.

Maybe by facilitating the service via an app will make the difference here. A much bigger audience and probably a lot easier to book.

Possibly by having the service on-demand they have fewer liabilities so you don't go out of business if demand drops off, which is what did in US Helicopter. Helicopters as a Service.

On the other hand if they're too successful maybe the company they're chartering from could decide to offer service themselves and cut them out

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

#45

Post by nerfhammer »

mikeash wrote: post #34
Animats wrote: post #7

Footnote on ad: "Promotion rate flights are for first time flyers only and limted to a single use. Other terms and conditions may apply." HeliNY, for which they are a reseller, charges $925 for that trip as a charter. Aircraft capacity is 5 (maybe 6). So the regular price, assuming they make you wait for a full helicopter, is probably about $200.

Seems like blatant false advertising to have "$99" in big text and nothing but an asterisk to indicate that this is a rate you're allowed to have exactly once ever.

given that they're a reseller there probably is no aircraft with their livery as pictured either

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

#47

Post by mikeash »

tmalsburg2 wrote: post #46
akyu wrote: post #27

>fleet of Teslas These guys are on top of their buzz game

What is this fleet of Teslas doing on days with good weather? Either they'll have too much capacity when the weather is good or too little when the weather is bad.

Driving for Uber, maybe.

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

#48

Post by robbrown451 »

lnanek2 wrote: post #33
fishnchips wrote: post #3

What a wonderful and completely non-scalable solution to the question of public transportation.

What makes you think it won't scale? Seems to mesh well with all the PR about drones all over the place lately. I could easily see the helicopters being replaced with remote piloted drone taxis within a decade.

It's noisy and expensive. Helicopters should have to pay a noise pollution tax, in my opinion.

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

#50

Post by woah »

nerfhammer wrote: post #44
dannylandau wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe by facilitating the service via an app will make the difference here. A much bigger audience and probably a lot easier to book.

Possibly by having the service on-demand they have fewer liabilities so you don't go out of business if demand drops off, which is what did in US Helicopter. Helicopters as a Service. On the other hand if they're too successful maybe the company they're chartering from could decide to offer service themselves and cut them out

A helicopter company is going to have a hard time hiring iOS developers and managing a software development project, not to mention the most important part: the brand.
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