Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

‘Roof-to-roof’ helicopters hop to HK, Guangzhou, Shenzhen

Chopper rides between airports and CBDs cater to needs of deep-pocketed execs in bourgeoning economic dynamo.

Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are set to revive the New York-style helicopter transportation services when choppers ply routes above Manhattan’s skyscrapers in the heyday of door-to-door rides catering to business travellers and big-spending tourists.

The three cities are said to be trialing cross-boundary helicopter services among their respective airports and CBDs after such chopper rides have been largely banned by the US city in the aftermath of a spate of accidents.

Last month, a direct helicopter service between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, capital of the neighboring Guangdong province, was launched to link, first the two cities’ airports and then Central and Guangzhou’s bustling Pearl River New Town.

An Airbus H135 light utility helicopter featuring twin engines and noise and vibration-proof fuselage flew the route’s maiden flight, which departed from Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport and landed at the heliport of Shun Tak Centre in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district after a 45-minute, 160-kilometer flight. By comparison, a ride aboard a bullet train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong takes about 75 minutes.

An adrenaline-inducing ride that is a feast to the eye with both sights of the two cities’ glittering skylines and stunning vistas of the Pearl River and sea costs about 5,000 yuan (US$707) per person including taxes and other surcharges during the promotional period, according to Heli-Eastern, the operator.

More tailor-made corporate transportation services between city centers touted as “roof-to-roof” links are also in the pipeline, with charges varying according to the as routes and other safety and regulatory requirements.

The company is said to be mulling launching a demonstration hop by the end of the year from the helipad atop Guangzhou’s 450-meter, 103-storey International Finance Center in the Pearl River New Town to Hong Kong’s ultra-luxurious Peninsula Hotel on the Victoria Harbor waterfront or the heliport near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai, subject to regulatory approval.

A helicopter service between Guangzhou and Macau will also be introduced in the future to cater to trade and business exchanges throughout the Greater Bay Area, a mega-economic dynamo that includes Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen as key drivers.

Indeed, Hong Kong has been running regular helicopter services to and from Macau for decades for business travellers and high-rollers and a one-way hop costs about HK$4,100 (US$523). The operator, a subsidiary of the business empire of casino magnet Stanley Ho, also runs chartered services to Shenzhen’s Baoan Airport, which take just 15 minutes, as well as to other cities in the Bay Area to tap the bourgeoning travel needs by deep-pocketed executives and professionals, as they need to zip between cities for business conferences and negotiations.

But red tape may still ground the launch of more routes serving the area whose annal economic output is edging closer to that of the New York metropolitan area, as it reportedly took almost two years for another Hong Kong-Shenzhen airport service to get off the ground.

An operator of such a cross-boundary aerial transportation service has to secure approval from at least 10 government agencies in both Hong Kong and the mainland, including the respective civil aviation regulators and the Chinese military, which needs to review and approve each and every flight even operated by a helicopter on low-altitude inter-city services.

The Chinese air force is in the process of gradually opening up more airspace for civil and general aviation but the corridors above major cities are getting crowded with more skyscrapers piercing the skies and more construction is underway. Still, government backing and a strong market outlook may provide some crucial tailwind, and more supetalls being erected in these cities also mean more sites for helipads.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×