Helicopter services between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will commence on Monday reducing the agonizing two-hour commute by road between the two airports to a mere 12-minute ride. Response for the helicopter ride service seems to be good as the company running the service has already received around 100 bookings for the first 15 days.
The first sortie from KIA to HAL airport will commence at 9 a.m. and there will be a return sortie on the same route at 4.15 p.m. BLADE India, which is operating the helicopter services, said that in total of eight passengers will be availing the services on the inaugural day. “On Monday, there would be two sorties — one from KIA to HAL and a return flight on the same route. We have got four passengers on each of these flights,” said a BLADE official.
The service is expected to cater to the corporate and IT professionals as many IT Parks and tech hubs are located in the vicinity of the HAL airport. BLADE will be operating these rides during the weekdays with air fares for this 12 minute ride priced at ₹3,250.
Air taxi services from KIA had initially commenced in 2017 making it the first of its kind in the country to operate chopper rides between an airport and a city center. Thumby Aviation, a city-based helicopter service provider was operating a shuttle service between the airport and Electronics City with two slots — the first one between 6.30 a.m. and 9.30 am and the second between 3.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. The expansion of roads at the airport premises had resulted in the dismantling of the helipad at KIA. As an alternative site for setting up the helipad was not provided, the air taxi services ceased operations.
