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We flew to the Hamptons like the 1% with Blade, an 'Uber-for-helicopters' startup - and it was as fabulous as it sounds

We flew to the Hamptons like the 1% with Blade, an 'Uber-for-helicopters' startup - and it was as fabulous as it sounds

Our journey began in Blade's 34th Street lounge, where we found a comfortable setup of couches and stools along a sleek bar. Several men were already making themselves comfortable when we arrived. The average Blade client is 31 years old, and 55% are male. They come from a variety of industries, from finance and real estate to tech. "You can't beat the on-demand aspect," Jarrett, a Blade customer who works in Manhattan real estate, told me.

We flew to the Hamptons like the 1% with Blade, an 'Uber-for-helicopters' startup - and it was as fabulous as it sounds

Customer experience (or C/X in Blade lingo) representatives Jessica Rooney and Erin Mulcahy were there to help. They're wearing uniforms that were custom designed by Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon just for Blade. There are two separate uniforms: a denim romper that retails for $695 and a white jumpsuit that costs $895. Both are available for purchase on Mellon's site or at her pop-up shop in Southampton.

Customer experience (or C/X in Blade lingo) representatives Jessica Rooney and Erin Mulcahy were there to help. They

Check out Tamara Mellon »

Once you check in, you'll get a wristband that corresponds to your flight.

Once you check in, you

You'll also get a luggage tag to match the wristband. As you might expect, the bags on the rack in the Blade lounge were a little more high-end than what you might find at your standard transit depot.

You

After you're all checked in, guests are encouraged to mosey on over to the bar for a drink.

After you

The Blade drink of choice is a rosé by Chateau Montaud Cotes de Provence. Rosé has been a part of the Blade experience from the start. "When we first launched Blade, we weren’t sure about the availability of helicopters from our operators," cofounder and CEO Wiesenthal said. "To protect ourselves from delays, and to keep down the nerves of our customers, we started serving rosé." For many of the startup's customers, their experience on Blade would be their very first time on a helicopter.

The Blade drink of choice is a rosé by Chateau Montaud Cotes de Provence. Rosé has been a part of the Blade experience from the start. "When we first launched Blade, we weren’t sure about the availability of helicopters from our operators," cofounder and CEO Wiesenthal said. "To protect ourselves from delays, and to keep down the nerves of our customers, we started serving rosé." For many of the startup

So that you don't have to worry about spilling during your flight, Blade serves the rosé in a specialty sippy cup.

So that you don

Many of the lounge's decorations are reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s, when flying was considered a glamorous activity reserved for the elite few who could afford it. "I’m old enough to remember my mother putting me in a suit and tie to get on an airplane," Wiesenthal told us. "Blade really hearkens back to the golden age of aviation."

Many of the lounge

Wiesenthal's entertainment background obviously played a big role in his founding of Blade. "We're trying to make an emotional connection to the consumer," he said. Here he is with Alena Martanovicova (left) and Jessica Rooney (right), members of the C/X team.

Wiesenthal

As we relaxed in the lounge, we could see passengers boarding helicopters just outside the window. The reason Blade is able to offer so many on-demand flights is that the platform supports routes from seven different operators in the New York area. One of those operators is Liberty Helicopter, which you can see here.

As we relaxed in the lounge, we could see passengers boarding helicopters just outside the window. The reason Blade is able to offer so many on-demand flights is that the platform supports routes from seven different operators in the New York area. One of those operators is Liberty Helicopter, which you can see here.

The East River is a busy waterway, which makes for an exciting takeoff.

The East River is a busy waterway, which makes for an exciting takeoff.

In addition to its four types of helicopters, Blade added four seaplanes to its fleet this summer, a service it calls Blade Aqua.

In addition to its four types of helicopters, Blade added four seaplanes to its fleet this summer, a service it calls Blade Aqua.

Blade offers flights on two kinds of seaplanes, one of which is the Aqua 950. It purports to be the fastest commercial seaplane in the Hamptons, though as Wiesenthal notes, it's entirely possible that someone owns one that can go even faster.

Blade offers flights on two kinds of seaplanes, one of which is the Aqua 950. It purports to be the fastest commercial seaplane in the Hamptons, though as Wiesenthal notes, it

This small card with my name on it guaranteed me a spot on the 4:30 flight to East Hampton.

This small card with my name on it guaranteed me a spot on the 4:30 flight to East Hampton.

As we prepared for takeoff, the choppy waters of the East River rocked the seaplane back and forth.

As we prepared for takeoff, the choppy waters of the East River rocked the seaplane back and forth.

But once we were airborne, we were treated to this incredible view.

But once we were airborne, we were treated to this incredible view.

The aerial shot of a Blade sippy cup has become something of a status symbol in certain social circles.

The aerial shot of a Blade sippy cup has become something of a status symbol in certain social circles.

If you search the #flyblade hashtag on Instagram, you'll find hundreds of shots with the signature cup. This was a conscious effort by Blade. "Our original seed funding did not leave a lot of room for marketing. We quickly realized our demographic was much younger, and they were all on Instagram," Wiesenthal said.

If you search the #flyblade hashtag on Instagram, you

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It only took us about 35 minutes to get to East Hampton on the seaplane, and we had incredible views the whole way.

It only took us about 35 minutes to get to East Hampton on the seaplane, and we had incredible views the whole way.

But once we were seeing estates with their own swimming pools and tennis courts, we knew we were getting close.

But once we were seeing estates with their own swimming pools and tennis courts, we knew we were getting close.

Once we landed in East Hampton, we noticed a sign reminding patrons of the area's noise restrictions. According to the New York Times, noise complaints rose by more than 400% last summer. Helicopter traffic had also risen by nearly 50%, thanks in part to Blade and other services like it. The town of East Hampton has since passed regulations that limit when aircraft can take off and land.

Once we landed in East Hampton, we noticed a sign reminding patrons of the area

Source: The New York Times

Not that that has slowed Blade down much — as we waited at the East Hampton Airport, more and more Blade-branded flights continued to touch down on the tarmac. Wiesenthal said the company plans to eventually expand to California and possibly the Middle East and Latin America. For the winter, they'll be adding flights to more local destinations, though those haven't been announced just yet.

Not that that has slowed Blade down much — as we waited at the East Hampton Airport, more and more Blade-branded flights continued to touch down on the tarmac. Wiesenthal said the company plans to eventually expand to California and possibly the Middle East and Latin America. For the winter, they

As we made our way back to the city by chopper, I wondered what it would be like to do this every weekend.

As we made our way back to the city by chopper, I wondered what it would be like to do this every weekend.

I'm far from owning a house in the Hamptons, but I could see why someone with much more disposable income would prefer this glamorous experience to hours sitting in traffic on the Long Island Expressway.

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