Gulf News

Want to escape Sao Paulo’s traffic? Hop into a flying taxi

Helicopter service Voom is a godsend for busy Brazilians — but only if the weather permits

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While Uber has changed ground transport in many cities, Sao Paulo’s infernal traffic jams have sparked a new app that opens the sky to commuters: Voom, a helicopter taxi service that charges according to distance and the passenger’s weight.

It’s a godsend for those in a rush — but only if the weather permits.

Gustavo Boyde, a Brazilian living in the United States who goes to Sao Paulo for business, is one of those who says the hops above the city are the only way to get around.

“I’ve opted for helicopter­s,” he said, pointing to the metropolis sprawling beyond the horizon as he choppered from a chic central district to the airport.

Sao Paulo — South America’s biggest city, home to 12 million residents within its municipal limits and millions more in satellite towns — is regularly choked by gargantuan traffic jams.

There are 5.9 million vehicles, or one for every two people. At peak hour, traffic can be backed up as much as 576 kilometres.

A new venture launched in April by Europe’s Airbus, Voom has taken a page out of Uber’s marketing manual to put clients above it all — at a competitiv­e price.

The app asks passengers to enter their weight and that of any baggage, then immediatel­y sends the calculated fare.

Boyde’s run, from the southeaste­rn neighbourh­ood of Itaim Bibi to the airport some 30 kilometres away, takes nine minutes and costs $150 (Dh550).

Compare that with the market rates before Voom became available. Individual helicopter companies wanted 10 times more — and trips needed to be booked at least two days in advance.

“Our goal is to make helicopter transport accessible to more people, so that the helicopter is seen as an alternativ­e,” said Voom’s executive director, Uma Subramania­n.

In Boyde’s case, taking a helicopter through the app was a no-brainer. Using a traditiona­l taxi on the clogged roads would have cost him $50 and an hourand-a-half of frustratin­g stopand-go.

“I chose Voom because it fits within my travel budget, it’s economical and it’s practical,” Boyde said.

“Those are two hours I can now use for work, which is handy given the tight schedule I have,” he said.

According to Subramania­n, saturated roads in Latin America mean that “people lose up to 10 hours a week” stuck in traffic.

Sao Paulo topped a list of 500 cities Voom considered for its debut, for a variety of reasons.

 ?? AFP ?? Brazilian businessma­n Gustavo Boyle prepares to board a Voom helicopter in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
AFP Brazilian businessma­n Gustavo Boyle prepares to board a Voom helicopter in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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