In case you need your daily "playground for the rich" reminder, Uber is launching a helicopter option to get rich travelers from Lower Manhattan to JFK Airport in New York City.
The service, dubbed Uber Copter, will fly well-to-do travelers above the city in an eight-minute flight to and from a heliport near the Staten Island Ferry. Car service on both ends will take the users to the helicopter and to their terminal.
“This is a trip that so many travelers make a day, and we see an opportunity to save them a huge amount of time on it,” Eric Allison of Uber Elevate told the New York Times.
The early experiment in ridesharing helicopters will only be available to select riders. Beyond its $225 estimated price per ride, the offer will only appear to Diamond and Platinum members of Uber's rewards program.
“Our plan is to eventually roll out Uber Copter to more Uber customers and to other cities, but we want to do it right,” Allison said. “The main goal of this initial venture is to understand the operations behind aerial vehicles.”
There is some question as to how feasible helicopters are as airport ferries. The size and weight constraints of a copter means that users won't be allowed to bring any large luggage. The service limits riders to one personal bag and one carry-on weighing no more than 40 pounds.
The initial rollout of Uber Copter will run Monday through Friday during afternoon rush hour, starting July 9.
