The helicopters called non -essential, which cross the sky of New York with an average of 80,000 flights per year and that yesterday were news for the fateful accident that ended the life of five Spaniards and the pilot, constitute a lucrative business for several companies, judging by their prices.
On the one hand, the helicopters that function as aerial “taxis”, which connect Manhattan with the airports or with the beaches of the Hamptons, which allow their passengers to overcome the always intense traffic of the large apple and the traffic jams in their bridges and tunnels.
Even so, the helicopters cannot land anywhere, and on the island of Manhattan there are three public use helipuertos: one on spring 6 of the East River, located near Wall Street; another on that same shore, on 34th Street; and a third on the shore of the Hudson River, at the height of 30th Street.
The main air taxi company is Blade, which has routes to JFK, Newark and the Hamptons, with rates from $ 195 per person or through an annual subscription of 700 dollars, while others, such as Heliflite, offer airport transport services for about $ 3,300 and Hamptons for 10,300 dollars, according to their website.
A 15 -minute trip for $ 250
On the other hand, there is the flourishing tourist helicopter industry, which offer a panoramic view of the city from the sky – manually on flights of less than half an hour – and whose prices are not accessible to all pockets either.
For example, New York Helicopter Tours, owner of the sinister aircraft, offers a route of about 20 minutes that overlap Central Park and passes near Empire State, as well as another 15 minutes on “iconic monuments” such as the statue of freedom and low Manhattan.
The company offers three tours from a helipad in New York – with prices that start from approximately $ 275 per person, including commissions – and four tours from New Jersey, starting at $ 250.
Similarly, its competitor Manhattan Tours offers a “classic tour” on the city for $ 249 per person, with a duration of between 12 and 15 minutes, as he indicates.
A luxury industry questioned
It is not surprising that some politicians rule against this luxury industry. Among them is the municipal congressman Brad Hoylman-Sigal, representative of western Manhattan, precisely where the tragedy occurred.
Helicopters should be reserved for emergencies, urgent news coverage and public health operations, and not for tourist visits or luxury trips, he said today.
According to the Aviation Property Network, only the three public heliports generate some 2.7 million dollars in income for the city for rent of the facilities. Tourist helicopter companies, which employ about 100 people, obtain annual income of approximately 11 million dollars.
The Wall Street heliport is used for presidential visits and other police operations, and is the only one authorized for tourist flights, according to the city’s legislative council.
There are other Helipuertos in the New York Metropolitan Zone, located at JFK (Brooklyn), Laguardia (Queens) and Newark (New Jersey) airports. New Jersey also has two private heliports: one in Linden, where there is an airport, and another in Kearny.