Experts say fewer helipads and limited clientele are some factors why heli-taxi services haven’t taken off in Bengaluru.
A few weeks ago, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Sarla Aviation inked a deal to develop electric air taxis for airport commutes. They plan to fly passengers from Electronics City to the airport in 19 minutes for Rs 1,700. Currently, it takes about Rs 340 and 2 hr 30 min to cover the same distance by a Vayu Vajra bus. A cab ride costs Rs 1,300-Rs 2,100 and takes over 75 minutes.
Status check
Hunch Mobility’s air taxi operations in Bengaluru are on hold since October 2022, according to Amrita Kalika, marketing head. She says they used to run the service between Electronics City and Bengaluru airport. There is a lot of demand for air mobility from the corporate crowd, but the weather poses a great challenge, she adds.
Thumby Aviation, another player, hasn’t offered a single flight within Bengaluru yet. Its founder Govind Nair says meeting regulations and testing under different weather conditions are taking time.
‘Only 2 helipads authorised’
Dr Shalini Nalwad, co-founder and director of ICATT Air Ambulance in Yelahanka, says the heli-taxi service will be a boon for those who want to beat traffic. However, she says a lot of regulatory work is pending to make it a reality. “There are 300 helipads but only two are authorised for landing use,” she explains. ICATT stands for International Critical Care Air
Transfer Team.
Ashish Verma is professor of Transportation Systems Engineering (TSE) and convener of IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab. In addition to the lack of infrastructure, he thinks the current price point and niche demand are also hindering its growth.
Aviation engineer P Hazarika thinks Rs 1,700 per passenger is a competitive price but he also draws attention to uncertainties. A heli-taxi with a capacity to fly 5 passengers may have a lesser operational cost and lower seat cost than its bigger counterpart, he explains.