American Airlines Helicopter Shuttle Connection

[SASless]

Seems the Airlines are getting interested in Helicopter Shuttles again!


https://www.departures.com/travel/american-airlines-blade-helicopter-transfer

[Ascend Charlie]

The problem is with international passengers and their baggage. Doesn't fit in an AS350. Even the carry-ons for 6 pax will bulk it out.

[LRP]

The problem is with international passengers and their baggage. Doesn't fit in an AS350. Even the carry-ons for 6 pax will bulk it out.

Yep. Even with domestic pax, the luggage is the rub.

[WillyPete]

“If you’re willing to pay the price”.
Luggage can follow by road. It’s for the rich to avoid travelling cattle class like the rest of us.

[industry insider]

Great idea :uhoh: What can go wrong?

[Sir Korsky]

Blade has now partnered up with most of the 135 operators in the NYC area. They pretty much have the whole fleet available from AS350s to 76s and 139s and I suspect around 40 aircraft. Blade is just a broker after all, but they are doing a great job in bringing new riders to the industry.

[SASless]

Some spare 92's I hear that are available .... some folks have boatloads of money to spend on themselves.

[FH1100 Pilot]

Ugh. Will they never learn? This has been tried before - all unsuccessfully. Oh, but Blade will be able to make it work, yeah? We'll see...

The problems associated with a NY to JFK helicopter service are the same ones that all recent operators have faced. Primarily, Blade won't be landing at the American Airlines terminal. NY Airways could (and did) do it because they used wheeled helicopters that landed on heliports out on the taxiways. Then they taxied into a special gate set aside for helicopters. JFK is a whole lot busier now. The New York Port Authority does not allow skid-equipped helicopters to hover in among the big iron. And mark my words, they won't even entertain the request to put another heliport out on their busy taxiways. And forget about AA building a rooftop heliport on their terminal if that's what you're thinking.

So Blade will be landing at the General Aviation Terminal, like every other charter helicopter. That's obviously where the rep from AA will meet the pax and escort them (wow, in a Cadillac!) to the AA terminal and through TSA. Does the Wall Street Heliport have full TSA screening of pax, carry-on and checked luggage yet? If not, that will have to occur, as usual, at JFK. So Mr. Zuckerberg will still have to carry his own bags through security, and take off his shoes like the unwashed masses.

The Blade founder and CEO acts like it's just a mere five minute hop on the helicopter from Manhattan to JFK. Nope! It's more like nine or ten minutes if you can get cleared direct. When JFK weather is low and they're using the Canarsie approach to the 13's, the helicopters will have to take the long way. But the time estimate is misleading anyway. First the pax has to get to the heliport - how long does that take? Then they wait for the helicopter - until they're "whisked away" on a ten minute flight to JFK. Finally it's a Cadillac(!) ride to the airline terminal. So it's not as convenient as Blade might want to make it appear. Obviously, AA has thought of this, and has decided to meet their premium pax at JFK with a butt-kissing representative, and presumably expedite the customer's progress through TSA. Good for them.

But as has been mentioned, baggage is GOING to be a issue. There is no way an Astar or a 407 can carry five people plus luggage and carry-on for an international flight. They'll "cube-out." They might as well plan on having a 206B running back and forth with just bags.

And what happens on those super-foggy or super-icy days when the airlines are still running but the helicopters are grounded? It happens. President Trump is in town? "Ooooh, sorry Mr. Bezos, no helicopter flights right now. You and Mr. Musk will have to wait until later. Or...perhaps you'd like us to whisk you away to JFK in this new Cadillac? I might mention that it's a CTS-V! It'll come in handy when you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Van Wyck." Pause... "What's that? No sir, I wasn't trying to be funny."

I'm not quite sure what potent wacky-weed the Blade founder and American Airlines management were smoking when they got together to dream up this cockamamie scheme and think this service can be profitable for either of them. Then again, who knows... Maybe society has changed and there are enough stupid-rich rap stars and gazillionaire millennials with IPO money to burn and no time to waste being stuck in traffic on the Van Wyck Expressway!

Me, I just look back at the helicopter shuttles from NYC to JFK that have been tried before, since the 1950s. Not to be a negative Nancy here, but I believe that Blade is doomed to repeat history.

[nomorehelosforme]

Negative Nancy, Debbie Downer! At least give it a chance. Other operators do these transfers very well, yes luggage does have to be transferred seperatly. Don’t worry about the Caddy I’m sure , for a price you can have a Rolls, Bentley, Aston Martin or any car of your choice!!

[FH1100 Pilot]

I didn't even mention the resistance from the noise police! One thing that has changed - and not for the better - is that the local anti-helicopter citizenry has become much more organized. They've succeeded in limiting the number of helicopter tour flights over the city. Wait until they get their teeth into a scheduled service. The linked article even hinted at the impending trouble by quoting the former NYC Parks Commissioner: "People who fly in helicopters to the airport are putting their convenience, the few minutes of time savings, over the happiness and health of millions of their neighbors."

Say whaaaaat? One guy who flies in a helicopter to the airport puts his happiness over the HEALTH of MILLIONS of their neighbors! Jeez, Benepe, speak in hyperbole much? Dear Lord. This is how insane New Yorkers have become. Why did they even quote him, anyway? Benepe is a tree-hugger who used to work for the City but now works for a non-profit - just the kind of guy the anti-helicopter crowd will enlist to help their cause. He'll make some claim that helicopter noise infringes upon the "natural quiet" of NYC's parks - kind like happened out in the Grand Canyon. And some dumb liberal judge will agree. ...As if NYC parks have - or ever had - any natural quiet. But you just wait. The citizen-group opposition to Blade will be fierce.

Oh, and can I take a shoe-selfie on the way to JFK?

[Sir Korsky]

you're right about organized complaints now. A syndicate group is receiving mode S transponder and ADS-B data from their homes across Long Island and complaining is as easy as...

https://airnoisereport.com/complaints/new

[tottigol]

Bob, I doubt the Bezos or Zuckerberg of this world would fly 121 anywhere.

[RVDT]

Apparently they are using an S-76C+. (https://metroairportnews.com/sikorskys-aag-and-blade-announce-agreement-for-on-demand-urban-mobility-option-in-new-york-city-using-sikorsky-s-76-helicopter/)

A syndicate group is receiving mode S transponder and ADS-B data from their homes across Long Island and complaining is as easy as...

Seems that half of Long Island residents use the helicopter service and the other half don't and subsequently complain about the noise?

It's definitely a circus on a Friday afternoon!!