Blade Air Mobility and Skyports Infrastructure establish pilot programme for New York eVTOL service
Blade Air Mobility partnered (10-Mar-2025) with Skyports Infrastructure to establish a pilot programme to launch electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) transfer operations between New York John F Kennedy International Airport and Downtown Manhattan Heliport. The service is scheduled to launch in Apr-2025, operating on weekdays and transporting passengers transferring to/from flights at New York JFK, as well as Long Island and Queens residents commuting to/from Manhattan. The pilot programme aims to gather data on consumer demand, passenger experience and facility logistics, which will help accelerate and derisk the launch of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) operations at the heliport. Skyports director of infrastructure Addison Ferrell stated: "Skyports and Blade are committed to transforming the Downtown Manhattan Heliport into one of the leading Electric Aircraft vertiports in the world". [more - original PR]
Background ✨
Blade Air Mobility has previously partnered with JetBlue Airways to offer helicopter transfers for Mint class passengers between Manhattan and New York John F Kennedy International Airport1. Additionally, Blade and BETA Technologies completed a test flight of BETA's ALIA-250 electric vertical aircraft in the New York City region, demonstrating a move towards electric aviation2. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has been expanding electric infrastructure at JFK Airport as part of its sustainability goals3 4.