Blade Urban Air Mobility, Inc., a division of Joby Aviation, announced a pilot program today that will offer commuter flights connecting Manhattan and Westchester County Airport.
This commuter flight service will serve residents of key suburbs of New York City, including Greenwich, Scarsdale, Rye, Bedford, among others, shortening rush hour commutes from over an hour and a half to twelve minutes.
Daily weekday flights will begin Monday, December 1. The commuter service will operate morning and evening flights between Westchester, with seats from $125 per passenger (with the purchase of a Blade Commuter Pass) to $225.
Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade said: “With the return of five day work weeks and traffic between the Greater New York City Suburbs and Manhattan now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, it was time for Blade to service this demand.
Blade will transition from helicopters to Joby’s quiet, zero-emission aircraft following FAA certification of Joby’s electric air taxi.
This pilot program will provide valuable insights into operational logistics and flier experience, helping to accelerate and de-risk Joby’s commercialisation efforts.
Mr. Wiesenthal added, “While Blade has proven the viability of airport routes in the U.S. and Europe, commuter routes will become even more important as new landing zones, exclusive to electric aircraft, become available.”