Pune to Mumbai in 19 minutes on board a chopper for Rs 10,000 a seat

Pune: For the Pune-Mumbai jet-setting crowd, here’s the latest travel option — chopper service.
With the Lohegaon airport runway going to be closed for re-carpeting in September and flight services likely to be affected, private helicopter charter service firms are eyeing the Pune-Mumbai sector. Among the players are Vectra Aviation, Ventura Aviation and United Helicharters Private Ltd (UHPL).
“We are waiting for the monsoon to get over to start a Mumbai-Pune chopper service,” said Goa-based Ventura Aviation’s chief operating officer Ajay Sareen. Ventura has already readied a four-seater that they plan to lease out to companies or individuals at the rate of Rs 60,000 per hour.
“Companies have approached us for the service. Frequency of the flights will depend upon demand,” added Sareen. The Pune-Mumbai flight will last 19 minutes.
The trend has been confirmed by Vectra Aviation that leases and sells choppers. “The potential is very high. We are working on moving into the Pune-Mumbai sector with a dedicated service,” said marketing manager Severine Rodosavljevic, adding that a construction company in Pune has already placed an order for the purchase of a chopper that will be delivered in early 2008.
31/07/07 Sunanda Mehta/Pune Newsline

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Categories: General Aviation Aug 2007, New Aug 2007