US Helicopter Temporary Service Interruption
 

I didn't see this one coming: (From the US Helicopter Website)

We are temporarily halting all service as we regroup to add aircraft to our fleet and introduce new routes. This 'standown' of service applies to our scheduled flights as well as our charter service. We plan to return to the skies of New York - a bigger and better airline - by late November. For information on refunds for tickets you hold for future travel, please contact your credit card company for a credit or refund. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we look forward to serving you again very soon with our 8 Minute Airport Shuttle.

www.flyush.com

That's too bad; I was hoping to use the US Helicopter service to EWR sometime in the next month.

Corporate PR speak for bankruptcy?

How will this affect those with CO tickets that include integrated Helicopter segments?

Sounds to me like a pending bankruptcy - just another way of saying 'we'll be back in x months' and then hope no one notices when they don't come back.

Yup ....my money is on the bet that they're broke

I did. They haven't had the loads to make the service profitable. I'm glad I got my couple trips in back in 2007.

I flew them this summer, and was considering using them on my layover in NY on the way back from LHR, figured I could spend a night in the city and then use them to get back the next morning.

Guess I will be cabbing it again. I do hope they come back.

My money says it's a wrap for USH. I'd be (pleasantly) surprised to see them come back.

they are broke!
 

They have been in terrible financial shape for 2 or more years. They owe money to everyone and even miss paying their employees. I did a few Google searches on them and they have taken many loans to be able to operate. Check out their SEC fillings. They cancel flights on a weekly basis. They are definitely not reliable and I would not take them not even for the fun of it. If you want to miss your international flight go ahead and us them. Also, very inexperience management. Maybe they should re open under new management with more reliable helicopters and parter with more airlines or maybe i should be operated by CO or DL.

noway: Welcome to FT!

To parrot David Spade in the SNL Skit:

"Buy-bye"

I'm not surprised. When I flew them last week, I was one of two pax. The next flgiht only had one person booked according to the GA. I can't imagine how that's profitable at $59 (plus fees) a person.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9630/4.7.1.40 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

It probably wasn't profitable at $159/pax either with only 1-2 pax/flight, which I flew it on 2 years ago as the only person. Losing money every trip but making it up in volume really doesn't work very well.

Similar story here - I had 3 flights in the last 2 months to EWR where I was the only passenger, and one to JFK, again as the only passenger.

Not a huge surprise - disappointing though. It was an extremely convenient service for me.

Im very much Surprised

Surprised that they lasted this long

I remember NY Heli they did the flights for TWA , that didnt last long either. PanAm also had them dont know if NYH was the ones running it

My pt is its been tried a couple of times before and didnt work, nor will it.

Theres just not enough of a demand, nor do I ever seeing that there will be any. Bout the only way it might work is if all Trancons and Intl flights left say between 5-6pm , then maybe youd be able to fill 1 copter. But having several flights a day it aint gonna happen

Sure they will get 1st timers but as in any business, 1st timers are just that, its the repeat customer that keeps a biz in business. And most people did it for the novelty of it. Do it 1 time and no need to do it again

Just got the call from Continental offering to refund the fare. Bummer, was looking forward to a great start to a Vegas weekend next week.