The Helicopter Taxi

If you find yourself in a pinch to get to the airport, and you’ve had secret embarrassing wish to become Batman; you are in luck. A new app just launched: Gotham Air.

Hopping on to the ride sharing bandwagon, Gotham Air launched in New York earlier this year. Users can book a helicopter online less than an hour in advance via a slick looking app. While there is no roadside pick-up, all you have to do is get to a designated Manhattan helipad with you and up to five friends. From there, it can take you one of two airports in six minutes. They’ve recently announced that they’ll be expanding their locations. You can charter a ‘copter to popular summering locations such as the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, and Atlantic City.

While the premise behind Gotham Air seems vaguely bourgeois and a little absurd, the financials do make sense. For example, it costs around $50 for a taxi ride in bumper to bumper traffic from JFK to downtown Manhattan. If you want to embrace a Real Housewives aesthetic, a town car with a chauffeur will cost around $100-150. To charter an entire helicopter, it normally costs up to $2,000. With Gotham, its one-way charge of $219 doesn’t seem so outlandish, especially if you have to get to the airport really quickly. Also, for first time customers, Gotham Air has a $99 introductory offer.

Gotham Air does offer bang for your buck. They have a fancy Gotham lounge where they offer complimentary hors d’oeurves by Chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery. There’s beverage service in the afternoon. And if the skies look a little choppy, Gotham Air will pick up riders at their home or office and take them to an airport in a Tesla S.

Is it kind of ridiculous? Yes. Do you need it? Not really. Is it awesome? Absolutely!

Take a look at the full article here: http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/12/gotham-air-ios-android-app/