Now, helicopter travel from Mumbai to Pune

With the Pune airport closed for repairs several hours every day, helicopter companies have started offering helicopter rides to those who find the two and a half hour drive to Pune, rather long.

Global Vectra, United Helicharters Pvt Limited (UHPL) and Venture Aviation, charge between Rs.70,000 and Rs 100,000 depending on the capacity of the helicopter. The larger choppers can accomodate about 10 people and the per passenger tariff comes to around Rs.10,000. This is about twice as much as a Mumbai-Pune business class air ticket.

The helicopter companies are mainly targeting large companies which have business interests in Mumbai and Pune. Many of these exeucutives, working 'round the clock are glad to save the time they can, in times of boom and expansion. Some tour operators are considering offering helicopter services to Nagpur, Nasik and other smaller cities too.

Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd, with its headquarters in Mumbai, mainly caters to companies like ONGC and Reliance Industries Ltd.

Most operators are planning to scale up their operations with an increase in demand, offering several trips a day.