A helicopter taxi service has been devised for the traffic-infested Colombian capital, enabling passengers to get from northern Bogota to the southern tip in just seven minutes.
Colombian citizen Carlos Valencia has pioneered the idea, with traffic congestion remaining a problem four years after President Juan Manuel Santos made it a campaign promise to invest in upgrading the country’s road infrastructure.
“We live in Chia and it is a two hour drive to Bogota, so the idea was born in a traffic jam as I was speaking to a friend,” said Carlos Valencia, who has pioneered the idea.
Heli Air Bogota, which is to start running later this month, is to use six helicopters and four strategic stops across the city. It accommodates four passengers at a cost of USD 150 per person.
“Bogota now has 23 helicopter pads, and there are many buildings that are constructing them. I think the traffic situation in Bogota is making a lot of people dream of this service and they are building these pads,” said Valencia.
Driving by land, it can take one more than an hour and a half to travel the usually-15-kilometer-long distance from the northern part of the city to the city center.
The service would be taking much away from the average 21 days spent per year travelling in car in the capital.
Sao Paulo, New York, and Milan are already operating similar services.
