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Tags: Helicopters / Tokyo Travel / Travel News / Fashion Travel / NRT / Luxury Travel / → All Tags

The $10 Million Dollar Hermes Helicopter Will Fly The Tokyo Skies

While we realize that this isn't exactly the best week to bring up helicopter travel on account of "The Horror On The Hudson" this last weekend, still we can't deny the cool factor of this story out of Tokyo.

After l'Hélicoptère par Hermès, or the Hermes Helicopter, debuted in late 2007, we were wondering what billionaire's yacht would sport it first. Turns out it won't be the private playtoy of a person at all, since a Tokyo company has purchased the 'copter designed by the French fashion house, with intent to offer flights between the central district of Akasaka and Narita International Airport. Taking the Eurocopter EC 315 will cut the travel time by an hour, and eliminate dealing with any ground traffic.

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Tags: Horror On The Hudson / Hudson River / Tragedies / Liberty Tours / Helicopter Tours / Helicopters / Crashes / Death / → All Tags

'Horror On The Hudson' Crash Claims Tourist Lives

On Saturday, just after noon in New York City, yet another crash took place in the Hudson River as a tour helicopter and small airplane collided in the air and then dropped into the river, killing 9 people.

The latest reports indicate that 7 of the 9 bodies have been recovered, along with the fuselage of the crumpled Liberty Tours helicopter and the black box; the small Piper PA-32 plane remains underwater. This tragedy took place near the same spot on the river where US Airways Flight 1549 safely landed after a mid-air bird strike causes it to use the river as a runway. However, that incident was tagged "Miracle On The Hudson" for its incredible story including no loss of life; this last Saturday's accident is instead branded "Horror On The Hudson."

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Tags: Airport Transportation / JFK / New York City / Airports / Airtrain / Helicopters / → All Tags

On the Road Again: How to Reach New York's JFK Airport

Your flight has landed, you've claimed your luggage and now you're trying to get the hell out of the airport. To erase confusion and get your on your way, all week long at Jaunted we will be detailing the various ways to get to and from major airports, and what those modes cost, from cheapest to the big blowout entrance. Got any tips or an airport suggestion? Let us know.

For our first airport in this series, we're going with our home base of JFK and it's myriad of options for making the commute into Manhattan (or Brooklyn). Just remember that all times listed below are approximate; New York is a city where crazy things happen to gum up the works.

· Airtrain to Subway: While this is absolutely the cheapest way to JFK, it is the one most susceptible to delays and wonky weekend construction schedules. Nonetheless, New York City is to be found both above and below ground, and so we find ourselves on this route more often than the others.
The options: Hop the Airtrain for $5 at any of the terminals; the train to Howard Beach will hook up with A subway train ($2) which can get you to downtown Brooklyn or continue on into lower Manhattan. Our favorite, the Airtrain to Sutphin Blvd/Jamaica Station deposits you at the Long Island Railroad station ($5.25-$7.25 to take this into Penn Station) or the subway E train for $2, which goes across Queens and into Midtown Manhattan.
Total cost: $7.00 per person, one-way; $7.25 in June with the MTA rate hike; $10.25-$12.25 with the LIRR)
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes from JFK to Midtown (1 hour with the LIRR)

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Tags: Adventure Travel / Ski Travel / Helicopters / New Zealand Travel / → All Tags

Spring is Here But Heli-Skiing Awaits You in New Zealand

Today is the official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere but we can't seem to shake our powder lust.

While we thought we still weren't quite rich enough for heli-skiing, a recent Age review of heli-skiing down near Queenstown in New Zealand caught our eye, we've discovered you can hit the adventurous slopes for less than we thought.

The whole idea of a helicopter dropping us into a tricky spot in the mountains so we can throw ourselves down some untouched snow is not only decadent, but pretty tempting, although our ski skills probably need some refreshing first.

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Tags: What Recession / Cruises / Helicopters / Halong Bay / → All Tags

Take A Helicopter To Your Luxury Tour

Apparently, there are people out there whose time is worth more than money, where by "money," we mean "fantastic amounts of." It's not enough that you can pre-board that flight; you also have to board first for maximum lollage and/or free beverage consumption. And it's not enough that you take a luxury cruise, you need to be taken to it personally by helicopter.

Halong Bay, Vietnam isn't out of reach for the ordinary traveler -- our own embedded guide reported that the only difference between her cruise and the first-class variety of same was the shrimp cocktail. Nor would we expect second-class treatment from a tour operator called Luxury Travel Vietnam. But after coughing up $745 for a three-day cruise, do they honestly expect anyone to put down $604 in order to travel by helicopter to and from Halong?

The one thing we'll say about all this competing transportation is that it might make an awesome setpiece for a Bond movie. Can the on-the-ground agents stop the helicopter with the nefarious evil conglomerate heads from landing? (Note to self: save money for punch-ups.)

Related Stories:
· Indochina Sails Junk Cruise [Luxury Travel Vietnam]
· Vietnam by Train: Cruising Halong Bay [Jaunted]
· Vietnam coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: doopits]

Tags: Sales / Helicopters / Airports / Taxis / JFK / → All Tags

Is US Helicopter Having Its Final Sale?

If you've ever wanted to ride in a helicopter to get to New York's JFK, you better act fast. As NewYorkology reports, the air ferry service, which gets passengers from Wall Street to JFK in eight minutes, has:

incurred substantial net operating losses and used substantial amounts of cash in our operating activities. Since our inception, we have incurred losses, have an accumulated deficit, and have experienced negative cash flows from operations.

Yikes. Fortunately, US Helicopter's losses could be your gain: tickets are going for $99 one-way through October 31. A C-note is still a lot to spend on a ride to the airport, sure, but a cab will cost you $90 round trip. Besides, this might be your last chance to fly to your flight.

Related Stories:
· $99-to-the-Airport Sale [NewYorkology]
· US Helicopter [Official Site]