‘Flying Over Traffic’: Short-Hop Services Multiply

Tired of bad traffic and have money to spare? A growing cadre of venture capital–backed startups are launching services to ferry people on short-distance trips by small planes and helicopters.

Companies including Blade, Skyryse and BlackBird believe there is a growing market for short hops by air in places like the Bay Area, Los Angeles and New York, so long as prices can be ratcheted down from the sky-high costs of traditional charter flights. Blade, backed by Airbus and valued at about $150 million, already runs helicopter flights in New York and Los Angeles, and plans to start flying in the Bay Area, it told a small group of customers this month.