Mercedes offers owners heli service

Anyone who’s tried to drive from Melbourne CBD to Tullamarine Airport during peak hour will understand the appeal of a helicopter alternative, with the 23km journey easily extending to 1 hour. 

With no rail link between the two points, four-wheeled transport has until now been the only option for the thousands of travellers making the commute each day.

Mercedes-Benz has come up with a solution that reduces the journey to just a four minute flight, with a new Heli-Express service added to its existing Melbourne Airport Express service.

Teaming up with helicopter operators Air Melbourne, the service runs between the Tullamarine Mercedes-Benz Airport Express dealership and the South Wharf helipad on the Yarra River, using two twin-engined Augusta luxury helicopters.

Each chopper can carry up to seven passengers and the service operates in either direction between sunrise and sunset. 

The Heli-Express service includes valet transport between the airport helipad and flight terminals, and costs $274 per head in either direction.

“Our facility at Mercedes-Benz Airport Express has proven itself with strong demand from customers and we have added the Heli-Express service to add another dimension of convenience especially for time poor customers,” Mercedes-Benz Australia boss Horst Von Sanden says.

Air Melbourne also now offers a Heli-Express service between Moorabbin Airport and Tullamarine, with the two choppers departing Moorabbin at sunrise, and returning at sunset to benefit those south-east of the CBD. Flights from Lilydale Airport in the north-east are also in the pipeline.

This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn