Contributor - South America

Richard Pedicini

Airbus’s A3 technology firm is testing <a href="http://www.voom.flights">Voom</a>,&nbsp;its by-the-seat helicopter service, in São Paulo, before rolling it out in other cities around the world. LABACE visitors can try out the new on-demand helicopter booking service, too, between Congonhas and Guarulhos airports.

 


The service opened in April after a pilot test last October, and it operates five days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., serving a limited set of six destinations, including Guarulhos and Congonhas airports. Customers must sign up for the service though a computer or smartphone and can request a flight up to 45 minutes beforehand and up to seven days in advance.

 


To book flights, customers enter departure and arrival points—Voom will select the closest heliports—preferred boarding time and date. They must arrive at the heliport 15 minutes before the flight.

 


The service in São Paulo uses the more than 100 helicopters in the combined fleets of local air-taxi firms Helimarte, Air Jet and UniAir. The combination of a large helicopter fleet (more than 700), the recession that idled much of that fleet and the city's monumentally snarled traffic may have pointed Voom to São Paulo as the perfect test market. Brazilian business journal Valor reported at the rollout that Voom plans to launch the service later&nbsp;in other large cities with heavy traffic such as Mexico City, Jakarta and Los Angeles.

 


The typical per-person fare between Guarulhos and Congonhas is less than R$500 (about $150), and according to Voom the price is expected to fall as economies of scale kick in.

 


For LABACE visitors arriving at Guarulhos to use the service, advance reservations can be made and Voom can be notified by customers of any delays via text, phone or e-mail. Voom suggests that booking a trip after disembarking from the airline provides enough time to arrive at the heliport with the required 15-minute margin, although that seems to apply to domestic flights, without allowing for customs and immigration clearance. Once the flight is booked, the app provides directions to the heliport.

 


Besides the major airports, Voom also serves Campo de Marte Airport, Helicidade Heliport and two hotels, the Blue Tree Faria Lima and the Sheraton WTC, the last being close to LABACE’s show hotels, the Hilton Morumbi and Grand Hyatt.

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