Writer

Charlotte Bailey

Blade Urban Air Mobility is to launch a trial commuter flights into New York City from Westchester County Airport (KHPN). The twice-daily weekday services that start on December 1 will use helicopters and are intended to prepare the way for operations with the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft being develop by Blade's parent company Joby.
Announcing the initiative on November 6,&nbsp;Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal said that the move is in response to rising demand for more efficient commuting options. "With the return of five day work weeks and traffic between the Greater New York City suburbs and Manhattan now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, it was time for Blade to service this demand,” he stated.
Blade’s website currently offers existing flights in its chartered rotorcraft fleet between Westchester and Blade’s West 30th Street helipad lounge. This is typically served by a five-passenger Bell 407 with a $225 price per seat. 
However, the new pilot program promises seats with prices starting at $125&nbsp; with the purchase of a commuter pass. Blade has not specified which aircraft will operate the trial service but promises to shorten rush hour commutes “from over an hour and a half to twelve minutes.”
Blade’s existing commuter pass—available for flights from New Jersey and Queens and parts of Long Island—costs $195 per week and entitles holders to then take unlimited flights for just $95 each. The new trial services are specific to flights from Westchester.
Although Blade stresses that its upcoming routes are geared towards business travelers, the program’s preview flights will be available on November 28 (Black Friday). The company said this will offer “a unique holiday shopping experience in the heart of Manhattan.”&nbsp;
Following FAA certification of Joby’s electric air taxi—now anticipated anticipated by the manufacturer in 2026, Blade expects to transition from helicopters to the new aircraft. Speaking in August, following Joby’s acquisition of Blade’s passenger services, Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt pledged that Blade’s customers would be among the first to experience this new mode of transportation.&nbsp;

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