Helicopter taxis are Mexico City’s newest way to beat the traffic

Helicopter booking app Voom expects its new Mexico City operations to capitalize on some of the worst traffic in the world to eclipse the growth it has seen in Brazil, the company’s chief executive said.

Voom, a subsidiary of France’s Airbus, launched in March in the Mexican capital and after setting up last year in Sao Paulo, the second most populous city in the Americas behind the Mexican capital.

In one year, Voom has flown more than 4,000 people and the company expects to surpass that during their first year of operations in Mexico, Voom Chief Executive Uma Subramanian said in an interview with Reuters on Monday.

“There is demand for people who do not want to spend three or four hours in traffic,” said Uma Subramanian in an interview with Reuters.

There are no other helicopter ride-hailing apps in Mexico, though there are in Brazil.

The company is looking at entering Buenos Aires, Bogota, Guatemala City and populous Asian capitals next, Subramanian said.

Traffic in Mexico City, which has more than 24 million people living in the capital and surrounding metropolitan area, rivals that Bangkok and Jakarta for some of the world’s worst.

The company’s online application allows customers to book flights in helicopters and it may associate with Spanish ride hailing company Cabify, as it has is Sao Paulo, to help customers complete trips on the ground, she said.

Helicopters can cross the 30 kilometers between the capital’s airport and the Interlomas neighborhood, one of the fastest growing urban centers, in 12 minutes compared with more than three hours in a car during peak hours, she said. Voom is currently offering three routes from the airport, but Subramanian said the company plans to increase its offerings.

The price for the shortest route, 2,500 Mexican pesos ($132), is steep, but the company is developing unmanned electric helicopters to allow for lower rates and higher profits, she said.

“In the future, with new types of electric vehicles, we could be part of the air transport system of Mexico City,” said Subramanian. “We hope to create a new mode of transportation in Mexico.”

Several European and U.S. cities have similar helicopter taxi services. But Mexico, Brazil and Guatemala have a comparative advantage since they are the countries with the highest number of helicopters per capita in the world.

Writing by Michael O’Boyle

Helicopter booking app Voom expects its new Mexico City operations to capitalize on some of the worst traffic in the world to eclipse the growth . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • tropical-storm-flossie-hurricane-mexico-pacific-coastTropical Storm Flossie to Strengthen into Hurricane as It Tracks Along Mexico’s Pacific Coast Tropical Storm Flossie is expected to become a Category 2 hurricane by July 2 as it moves parallel to Mexico’s Pacific coast, bringing dangerous rainfall, wind, and surf. Tropical Storm Flossie is on the verge of forming from Tropical Depression Six-E and is forecast to strengthen rapidly into a hurricane as it parallels Mexico’s southwestern…
  • hurricane-flossie-strengthens-july-1-2025Hurricane Flossie will bring tropical storm conditions to parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco Hurricane Flossie intensifies off Mexico's Pacific coast with winds near 90 mph. Heavy rain, flooding, and tropical storm conditions expected in parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. Hurricane Flossie continued to intensify early Tuesday morning as it moved west-northwestward off the coast of southwestern Mexico, prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across multiple states.…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • tropical-storm-flossie-mexico-coast-rain-surf-alertCabo Corrientes under tropical storm watch as Flossie expected to Bring Heavy Rain and Dangerous Surf to Southwestern Mexico Tropical Storm Flossie is forecast to strengthen and may impact Mexico's southwest coast from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes with heavy rain, flooding, and hazardous surf early this week. Tropical Storm Flossie is expected to deliver heavy rains, gusty winds, and dangerous surf conditions to Mexico’s southwestern coast in the coming days, prompting authorities to issue…
  • raw-sewage-playa-los-muertos-puerto-vallartaMore Raw Sewage Dumping at Playa Los Muertos Appear to Come From Local Hotel Business owners in Puerto Vallarta are demanding action after raw sewage was discovered leaking onto Playa Los Muertos, raising public health and tourism concerns. A raw sewage leak at Playa Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta has sparked outrage among local tourist service providers and business owners, who say the contamination is driving away visitors and…
  • tropical-storm-flossie-strengthens-mexico-june-2025Tropical Storm Flossie Strengthens Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast, Could Become Hurricane by Tuesday Tropical Storm Flossie gains strength off southwestern Mexico, with hurricane status possible by Tuesday. Storm warnings issued from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula. Tropical Storm Flossie continues to gain strength off Mexico’s Pacific coastline, prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across several southwestern states. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Flossie is expected…
  • cancun-beach-cleanup-sargassumMassive Beach Cleanup to Combat Sargassum in Cancun After a week of the Cancun’s tourism department denying sargassum existed and insisting media photos were fakes, over 600 public servants and volunteers joined the first simultaneous beach cleanup. In a bold step toward environmental preservation and tourism sustainability, Cancun's Municipal President Ana Paty Peralta led the city’s first simultaneous beach cleanup effort this week.…
  • cancun-2025-sargassum-beaches-and-activitiesSargassum won’t ruin your Cancun vacation, there are plenty of clean beaches and tourist activities As the 2025 sargassum season continues through September, visitors to Cancun can still enjoy clear beaches like Playa Delfines and Playa Caracol. As the 2025 sargassum season intensifies across Quintana Roo, tourists are finding it more difficult to enjoy the region’s iconic white-sand beaches without encountering the unsightly brown seaweed. While the influx of sargassum…
  • oregon-murder-fugitive-extradited-puerto-vallartaFugitive Wanted for 2008 Oregon Homicide Captured in Puerto Vallarta and Extradited to U.S. Jesús Rodríguez Borrayo, a fugitive for 17 years, was extradited from Mexico to Oregon for his role in a 2008 drive-by shooting that left one dead. He was located in Puerto Vallarta. A man wanted for murder and other violent crimes in the United States for nearly two decades has been extradited after being found…
  • tropical-wave-7-floods-bacalar-chetumal-emergency-responseTropical Wave Floods Bacalar and Chetumal as Navy and Army Activate Emergency Plans Torrential rains from Tropical Wave 7 flood Bacalar and Chetumal, prompting emergency response from the Navy and Army. Several towns remain isolated in southern Quintana Roo. Torrential rains caused by Tropical Wave Number 7 have flooded multiple communities in southern Quintana Roo, prompting a joint emergency response from Mexico’s Navy and Army. Authorities activated their…
Scroll to Top