A fun way to see a city is by air, and now there is a London helicopter tour that offers the opportunity to do just that. In a ride that lasts approximately 20 minutes at a height of 1,250 feet, London Helicopter Tours lets passengers get a view of Big Ben, the London Eye, the Olympic Park, the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and many other iconic sights.
The tour takes off from Battersea Heliport, more officially known as the Barclays London Heliport, in the south west of London. It is the first time that tourists have been able to use the heliport for sightseeing, according to the Daily Mail. The heliport has been in operation since 1959, which is evidenced in black and white footage viewable in the waiting lounge. It has been in use for the Air Ambulance and Police Air Support Units.
It is also used by the rich and famous, who use it for private transportation.
"Discretion is really important, that's why a lot of celebrities use us," the receptionist said. "We get lots of famous people, businessmen and politicians.
"Footballers too, it can get busy on transfer day as the players get jetted around to different clubs," she added.
A compact space to the side of the main heliport has been transformed for the use of tourist flights to ensure that high profile clients can continue to fly discreetly and without interrupting their schedules. Helicopter passengers wear seatbelts, lifejackets and headphones.
The helicopter tours were inspired by a tour that Chris Mann, the Managing Director of the company, took in South Africa.
"I am really looking forward to seeing helicopter sightseeing flights become as popular here as they are in New York, Las Vegas and Cape Town," Mann said. "Our city has the most amazing collection of buildings and monuments, the view from the air really sets them in context in a way which simply isn't possible from any other vantage point."
The bright yellow G-ORKI helicopters can seat five passengers and give 20-minute tours that cost about $298. The tours can be booked online and are available seven days a week.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
