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Delta partners with on-demand helicopter startup so VIPs can avoid the airport

Delta partners with on-demand helicopter startup so VIPs can avoid the airport

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Photo: Blade

Delta is partnering with Blade, a company billed as the “Uber for helicopters,” to give passengers of the elite on-demand transportation service a better way to travel to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to Business Insider. Blade, which has three lounges in Manhattan, ferries passengers between its designated locations and JFK in around 10 minutes. The service starts at $195 and goes up in price depending on the destination and how far in advance users book a seat on one of its helicopters. Delta will now charge $250 on top of Blade’s fee to make the process faster and more efficient.

Now, with the Delta partnership, Blade members traveling to JFK will be greeted by a member of the airline’s Elite Services team, who will handle luggage and escort the passenger to their seat after an expedited TSA screening process. If a Blade user is arriving in JFK, a member of Delta’s team will be there on the jet bridge to gather luggage and bring the user to vehicle operated by Blade. The vehicle then takes the member to the helicopter. It’s certainly not for the everyday air passenger, but if you’re one of the few people who like to fly Delta and also have considered personal helicopter transport to Manhattan, perhaps this will convince you to fly with Blade.