Hallelujah, there's a way around Pope traffic, at least for Manhattanites. And as always on very expensive island, it comes at a cost.
Blade, a startup that provides Uber-like on-demand rides in helicopters, is offering rides across Manhattan for $95 on Friday, September 25th when the pope will be in New York City.
The head of the Catholic church is in the midst of a trip through the U.S. that has caused traffic snarls everywhere he goes due to tight security. Manhattan, where Pope Francis is staying, is expected to be a complete disaster.
Blade's flights will travel about three miles, moving between 30th street on the far west side of Manhattan and ending at 34th street on the east side. The rides will be available during rush hour from 7:45 A.M. to 10 A.M. and then again from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. Blade said the trips will take between five and eight minutes.
There will be some security, including TSA officers screening passengers, who will only be allowed purses and briefcases for the trip. The flights will go around the southern tip of Manhattan and loop back up to midtown.