The New York City Council has dealt another blow to on-demand air transport services like Blade Air Mobility, Uber Helicopter, and others with the introduction of a bill that seeks to ban what some council members consider nonessential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports.
Lincoln Restler, a council member who represents the Brooklyn Heights and Greenpoint sections of Brooklyn, introduced the legislation with backing from colleagues representing parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Many of these districts are near the East River corridor that air service flights frequently use when taking customers to area airports, the Hamptons on Long Island, and other popular destinations.
