Now you can travel between two cities in India by sitting inside a personalized helicopter! Yes, you heard it right. BLADE India offers comfortable private chopper rides between cities like Pune, Mumbai and Shirdi. Fliers can take helicopters from Pune to Mumbai, Mumbai to Shirdi and Pune to Shirdi and the reverse routes. The joint venture company will soon expand its services to Bangalore as well. The prices of these chopper rides start from around ₹12,000 per seat. However, for booking a charter flight, the prices will be dynamic and will depend on air miles, the type of aircraft and the number of passengers. Due to COVID-19, BLADE India is accepting bookings only for private charters at present. Shared bookings will resume mid-September if the situation is under control. Also, Accretion Aviation has launched private planes to Goa starting from ₹70,000 per person.
Book A Personalized Chopper Between Two Cities With BLADE India
BLADE India is a joint venture between the digitally powered aviation company BLADE Urban Air Mobility Inc. U.S.A and New Delhi based investment firm Hunch Ventures. According to BLADE India’s website, one can “book per person on a flight within the network in India or charter own flight.” The website also mentions that the helicopters of BLADE are ‘fast, quiet, safe and comfortable.’ BLADE India had launched its services across Mumbai-Pune-Shirdi corridors in December 2019. Now it is preparing to expand its services to Bangalore. Each chopper can accommodate five to six people. On these helicopters, one can reach Mumbai to Pune in approximately 40 minutes. A journey from Shirdi to Pune can take up to 45 minutes.
How To Book A BLADE India Private Charter?
To book a private charter, one can call up the BLADE India customer care at 1-800-102-5233 and communicate the requirements. For shared services, BLADE India helicopters operate in a similar way like Ola and Uber taxis. Customers can book the shared choppers through the BLADE India app, just like booking an UberPool ride. The app is available on both Play Store and Apple Store. Also, while taking these rides, one will be able to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the city from a height of nearly 100 feet above ground level. At present, the company is taking bookings only for private charters. Shared flights are not operating now to adhere to the protocols of social distancing.
Also Read: People Will Be Scared To Travel Till Customer Confidence Is Built: Neerja Bhatia, Etihad Airways
BLADE India: COVID-19 Safety Measures For Private Charters
BLADE India has implemented various safety measures to ensure safe travel amid the pandemic. The guidelines are as follows:
- All pilots, passengers, and BLADE employees will undergo touchless thermal screenings.
- Passengers and employees need to wear masks and face shields. Pilots and employees will also have to wear sanitary gloves.
- The sanitization personnel will electrostatically decontaminate the helicopter interiors using an airline-grade fogging system before every flight.
Also Read: Domestic Airlines Are Now Letting You Book Private Planes
BLADE India will soon start private chopper rides both inter-city and intra city in Karnataka. If you’re searching for safe options to travel between cities with the coronavirus pandemic in place, these private helicopters can be a great pick. You can travel in absolute comfort and also maintain social distancing at the same time. To know more, click on the BLADE India website. On that note, here’s why Vistara CCO thinks that air travel is the safest way to travel now: