Tech startup Ascent on Wednesday launched a pioneer helicopter ride-sharing platform to spare commuters from traffic.

“Despite being one of the fastest growing business hubs in Southeast Asia, Manila’s traffic situation is also one of the most challenging in the region,” Lionel Sinai-Sinelnikoff, Ascent chief executive said.

The Philippines is expected to lose P5.4 billion daily by 2035 despite interventions done for traffic congestion in Metro Manila, according to a 2017 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

“With the launch of Ascent in the Philippines, we hope to provide a solution that is highly relevant to the current times’ economic and productivity pitfalls caused by congested roads,” Sinai-Sinelnikoff added.

Passengers can buy their seat at a fingertip and fly between locations such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, central business districts (CBDs) in Makati, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, and Quezon City, as well as regional locations in Clark and Tagaytay.

The service will be operated by INAEC Aviation Corporation.

Fares will be P25,900 from NAIA to Clark; P6,900 from Makati to BGC and P21,900 from NAIA to Tagaytay.

He said that central business districts in Metro Manila have an untapped transportation opportunity.

“There is a good number of helipads and helicopters with low utilization. Through the Ascent platform, we aim to connect CBDs more easily and promote the country as an ideal destination to conduct business helped by urban air mobility,”Sinai-Sinelnikoff said.

Ascent also offers services such as luggage transport, on-ground guest assistance, airport transfers via helicopter, shuttle services to dedicated heliports, and corporate packages.

Ascent hopes to make services accessible to more customers as it plans to expand to more locations in the Philippines, including major cities in Visayas and Mindanao, as well as other Southeast Asian countries in the next few years. DMS