Uber helicopter rides in New York City are safe, air taxi boss says

Days after a fatal helicopter crash on the roof of a Midtown New York City skyscraper, there have been renewed calls for stricter flight restrictions. But for companies such as Uber and Blade that are expanding chopper offerings business is growing and safety remains paramount.

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UBER	UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC.	69.91	-3.34	-4.56%

“Because of [the helicopter crash] safety is so foundational that we are just baking into everything, that we are continuing to do that and just it just emphasizes how important it is to do it right,”  said Uber’s air taxi boss Eric Allison to FOX Business’ Susan Li on “Mornings with Maria.”

In July, the company will launch Uber Copter, which shuttle Uber members who have obtained Platinum and Diamond status between Lower Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport for about $200 per ride. The company's air taxi prototype was on display at Uber’s Elevate Summit in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

Next up, Uber plans to roll out a flying car, which looks similar to what the Jetsons flew in the early-1960s animated TV show. It is sleek and aims to make traffic jams a thing of the past. It is expected to be in commercial use by 2023 depending on regulation, according to Allison.

With consumers being given more in-the-air choices for travel, the issue of overcrowding in the skies and safety are being raised. According to Allison, Uber has been working with regulators from “day one” to bring this to life in the skies.

“We don't need any legislative change and we don't need any rule change,” said Allison. “We're working with the FAA to take the existing rules and to use them and apply them in the right way to this new form of transportation.”

Allison also likened the industry’s growth to how major cities create space when it’s at a premium.

“That's the idea, to take to take transportation out of the two-dimensional grid and into the sky, kind of take advantage of the third dimension just the way cities do right now by growing up in skyscrapers," he said.

*The original article, published on 6/11/19, incorrectly stated a quote out of context. The article has been updated.