Around 120 couples celebrated Valentine’s Day onboard helicopters, flying over the skyline and the city’s coastline.
Around 120 couples celebrated Valentine’s Day onboard helicopters, flying over the skyline and the city’s coastline. According to several helicopter companies in the city, from 200 registrations for the rides last year, the numbers rose to 250 for the V-Day this year. Interestingly, officials from these companies also said that while last year most of the customers had booked joyrides for their family and friends, this year mostly couples opted for it.
Meanwhile, as many as 38 passengers cancelled their joy ride tickets as the eastern part of the city was declared as no flying zone due to the Make in India Week. Sources also said helicopter firms refused to give last moment tickets to 50 passengers due to overflowing of booking.
What prompted more number of joyrides this time was that the V-Day fell on a Sunday, giving Mumbaikars more time to opt for the rides. Commenting on the rise in customers, Mandar Bharde, CEO of MAB aviation, said, “This year we noticed a 25 per cent hike in our business. Even though IRCTC and MTDC too provide joyrides we have a better reach. We offer flights on short duration on low rates to attract more customers.”
Sanjay Kumar, GM western region, Pawan Hans, said, “We had 16 rides and 66 passengers traveled on Sunday and they all were couples.”
The company provides joyrides of ten minutes in a six-seater aircraft, which allows more number of passengers for each ride, said an official. Rajendra Johari, CEO of Aman Aviation, a company that also provides joyrides around the city said, “45 couples used our joyride services on Sunday.”
Nandan Koregaonkar, CEO of Yagya Aviation, said he believed that due to the market competition helicopter companies decreased the price rate and it helped the couples.
Interestingly, Yagna Aviation had a hand in helping a man propose to his girlfriend.
While they were enjoying the helicopter ride, the man’s friends displayed a huge banner on the ground with “Will you marry me ” written on it.
Dipti and Prasanna Kashikar were one of the couples that opted for the rides on Sunday.
The couple wanted to do “something different” for their third V-Day together and so they chose to take a ride above the city. “It was the most memorable day of my life. I can’t forget the aerial view of the city. It was looking so beautiful,” said Ms Kashikar.
