‘Time is money’ mantra drives air taxi service

An increasing number of businesspeople are opting to catch a chopper from Auckland Airport to the CBD – rather than be late for the meeting they’ve just flown in for.  

A taxi from Auckland’s airport to the CBD can take 60 minutes or more in peak traffic.
By helicopter it’s just ten minutes, so it’s not surprising that an increasing number of businesspeople are opting for the latter option – rather than be late for the meeting they’ve just flown in for.                   

In the past year, Heletranz has seen a big increase in their bookings for airport-to-city helicopter transfers. “People doing business in major international cities like London or New York are accustomed to coming off their plane and straight onto a helicopter,” says Heletranz director and co-owner Sofia Ambler. “They have the same expectation for a rapid point-to-point transfer when they arrive in Auckland.” 

London Heliport recently reported its strongest upturn in flights since 2008, with over 10,500 movements recorded for the year ending 31 March 2016. They attributed a high proportion of this growth to ‘business movements’. 
“Following global trends, growing numbers of New Zealand businesspeople are electing to take a helicopter into Auckland’s CBD,” says Ambler. 

Another growing segment is high-end leisure travellers. “People who travel at the front of the plane want to experience the same level of service from the airport to their hotel or from their home to the airport.” 

Heletranz’s helicopters fly from Auckland’s Airport’s heliport and will meet and greet clients airside with a concierge service if they arrive by private jet. 

A taxi from Auckland airport to the city costs on average around $80. A short helicopter hop is priced from $250 per person.