Helicopter Service Blade Pivots to Uber-Like SUVs During NYC Shutdown
With no gridlock to fly over and few airport transfers needed, the company has adapted to New York’s shutdown by offering on-demand car service
While its helicopter broker business “is down substantially,” according to CEO Rob Weisenthal, Blade is helping New York hospitals by using its fleet of SUVs.
Source: Blade
With the vast majority of flights out of New York currently canceled and citizens sheltering in place, it would seem there isn’t much use for a helicopter service that’s made a name for itself by transporting the city’s elite above Manhattan gridlock.
But Blade Urban Air Mobility Inc. quickly adapted to the new way of the world—both to aid in the fight against coronavirus and keep its workers employed. The company began its Essential Ground Connect Service program in the first week of March, leveraging its mobility and logistics expertise to compete with the likes of Uber and Lyft in navigating how to move people during a pandemic.
It’s a stark change for a company that previously focused on reducing the cost of helicopter rides—$195 for a hop to a New York airport—and speaks to the pivots needed in the time of Covid-19, which has currently killed almost 5,500 people in New York state and has a third of humanity on lockdown.