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On August 18, the helicopter passenger route connecting Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Kunshan City Terminal in Jiangsu was officially opened. This is the first cross-provincial fixed-point low-altitude passenger transport route in the country, opening a new chapter for low-altitude transportation connections in the Yangtze River Delta region.

What are the special requirements for taking a flying taxi? How do you think it is cost-effective to spend thousands of yuan on a flying taxi? From the official opening of the low-altitude short-distance transport route (Shenzhen-Zhuhai) in April this year to the current cross-provincial flying taxis, how will the "air taxis" fly farther and farther to supplement the existing public transportation network?

Journalists experience taking a flying taxi

From Kunshan, Jiangsu to Pudong, Shanghai

Recently, CCTV reporters personally experienced this low-altitude passenger helicopter route between Shanghai Pudong and Kunshan, Jiangsu.

A new low-altitude helicopter passenger route has been opened between Shanghai Pudong and Kunshan, Jiangsu.Passengers can book tickets through the Kunshan terminal and the airline operator's booking hotline and online store before 4 pm the day before the flight. Each passenger can bring one piece of luggage that is 20 inches in size and weighs no more than 15 kilograms on board. Before boarding, passengers need to declare their physical condition, read the safety instructions and fill in the passenger registration form. They can board the plane only after undergoing security inspection.

CCTV reporter Nie Qixing: We are now on a helicopter flying directly on this low-altitude route. We will soon fly from Kunshan, Jiangsu to Pudong, Shanghai.

• At present, two two-way low-altitude passenger routes from Shanghai Pudong to Kunshan, Jiangsu have been opened and operated at the same time. This time we flew the southern route, starting from Kunshan, passing through Songjiang District of Shanghai and finally arriving at Pudong New Area. During the flight, we can overlook the scenery of Sheshan Mountain, Huangpu River and other places.
• The feeling of the entire route can be summarized in one word: fast. The entire flight time is about 25 minutes, which is obviously much faster than the traditional ground transportation of one and a half hours.
• In order to make the "air-to-air transport" between the two places smoother, after arriving at the landing point, you need to take the Pudong Airport shuttle bus to the terminal. The ground transfer time is about 25 minutes.
• The entire flight journey plus the ground transfer time can be seen to be controlled within about 50 minutes. Compared with taking the airport bus or driving from Kunshan Terminal, the time is compressed from two hours to less than one hour.

Are there any special requirements for flying?

At present, two two-way low-altitude passenger routes from Shanghai Pudong to Kunshan, Jiangsu have been opened and operated at the same time to cope with the impact of aviation control and bad weather on flights. How is this "flying taxi" different from ordinary airplane rides?

First of all, the booking time. Currently, passengers can book tickets through the Kunshan terminal and the route operating company’s booking hotline and online store before 16:00 the day before the flight.

The second is the luggage requirements. Each passenger can carry one piece of luggage that is 20 inches and weighs no more than 15 kilograms on board. If there are special circumstances such as oversize or overweight, please communicate with the staff in advance.

In addition, before boarding, passengers must declare their physical condition and fill out a passenger registration form. Passengers with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, mental illnesses, severe dysfunction of the balance organs, and other diseases that are not suitable for air travel, as well as passengers under the influence of alcohol or drugs are not allowed to take a helicopter.

Take a flight from Pudong to Kunshan

From 1600 yuan per person one way

I believe many people are more concerned about how much it costs to take a "flying taxi". Depending on the service, the current price per passenger on this route is 1,600 yuan or 1,800 yuan per way.

Li Yang, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Xinkong Helicopter Co., Ltd.: Compared with the previous prices of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of yuan for helicopter charter, our prices this time are more affordable.The price is based on twice the price of a high-end commercial vehicle from Kunshan to Pudong Airport.As the occupancy rate increases, the price may become more affordable.

Zou Rong, General Manager of Jiangsu Kunshan City Terminal Operation Management Co., Ltd.: Our route is mainly for business travelers and passengers with time constraints departing from Pudong Airport. It solves the pain points of traditional ground transportation, which is time-consuming and susceptible to traffic conditions, and provides passengers with a more efficient and convenient travel option. Our low-altitude routes may be slightly more expensive, but the time advantage is still obvious.

What is the cost-effectiveness of spending thousands of dollars on a flight?

Is it worth spending thousands of yuan on a flight? How do you think it is cost-effective? Let's compare it with existing public transportation. Since there is no train station at Pudong Airport, most people who travel between the two places will choose to take a taxi, rail transit or airport bus.

First, let's look at the highway. If you drive from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Suzhou Kunshan City Terminal during the evening rush hour on Monday, the distance is about 110 kilometers and it takes nearly 2 hours. If you take a taxi, the price will be between 200 and 500 yuan.

If you take the airport bus, it takes about 2.5 hours and starts at 95 yuan. Of course, the bus only runs once an hour.

Of course, the cheapest option is the newly opened subway between the two places. It costs 15 yuan, with two transfers, and it takes more than 3 hours to get there.

The two-way low-altitude helicopter passenger route from Shanghai Pudong to Kunshan opened this time is about 85 kilometers long and takes less than 30 minutes.Including the ground transfer time from the landing point to the terminal, the fastest time is 50 minutes. Of course, the cost is also the most expensive, 1,600 yuan or 1,800 yuan.

From subways to flying taxis

Looking at the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta

Is it worth spending thousands of dollars on a flight? How should we judge its cost-effectiveness?

CCTV reporter Qin Ruidi: The helicopter on this low-altitude route can carry 3 to 4 passengers one way. According to the airline's estimates, it will be able to carry more than 20,000 passengers each year in the future. But in fact, this number is a very small number for the daily commuters between Shanghai and Kunming.

At present, the average daily travel volume between Kunshan and Shanghai is about 437,000 people per day, accounting for half of the total travel volume between Suzhou and Shanghai. Among them, motor vehicle travel is about 249,000 people per day, and rail transit travel is about 79,000 people per day.

From the first inter-provincial subway in China opened in 2013 to the current operation of low-altitude flights, this directly reflects that with the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, more convenient transportation has become a rigid demand for many people. On the other hand, the supporting role behind the convenient transportation is actually the mutual integration and development of industries in Shanghai and Suzhou.

What gaps do “air taxis” fill? How can they fly further?

In April this year, the Greater Bay Area's low-altitude short-distance transport route (Shenzhen-Zhuhai) was officially opened. Now that inter-provincial "flying taxis" are online, "air taxis" are flying farther and farther. What kind of complementary role will this play in the existing public transportation network?

Li Hongchang, a researcher at the National High-end Think Tank Sustainable Transportation Innovation Center: From a theoretical point of view, "air taxis" are an industrial economic manifestation of the low-altitude economy and an important part of the comprehensive transportation system. It is a very important part of the transportation system including ordinary railways, high-speed railways, public air transportation, highways, urban transportation, private cars, etc.

From the perspective of technical and economic characteristics, the travel distance on highways represented by private cars is generally in the advantageous range of 300 kilometers or less; the advantageous travel distance on high-speed railways is generally between 500 kilometers and 1,300 kilometers; and the advantageous travel distance on civil aviation is generally 1,300 kilometers or more.This is determined by a combination of factors such as travel time, comfort, and cost.

In general, air taxis have the characteristics of diversified flight station settings, miniaturized vehicles, small passenger capacity, personalized services, and time saving. It is an organic alternative or effective supplement to urban public transportation, public aviation or high-speed rail.