Airline starts Manhattan-to-Boston seaplane flights
A Tailwind Cessna Caravan docked in the East River, prepping for its first flight to Boston. (Tailwind)
NEW YORK - Travelers between New York and Boston tired of the time-consuming hassles of crowded airports and commercial airline flights now have a more convenient, albeit pricey, alternative.
Tailwind Air on Tuesday started direct nonstop seaplane service between Manhattan and Boston Harbor.
The flights on eight-passenger aircraft between the New York Skyport on the East River and a floating dock in Boston Harbor take about 75 minutes. In Boston, a water taxi shuttles clients on a seven-minute trip to the South Boston waterfront. A 7 a.m. flight from Boston would arrive in Manhattan at 8:25 a.m.
"Our goal has long been creating an alternative that cuts travel times between the city centers in half. It's pretty amazing to see that realized today as our flights hit their marks," CEO and Tailwind founder Alan Ram said in a statement.
Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app!
The seaplanes can cut total travel times up to 60%. The flights start at $395 one way, which includes a standard-sized rolling bag of up to 20 pounds.
The airline says it also offers discounted prepaid commuter books of 10, 20, and 50 tickets for passengers that can save as much as 35%.
The service is also dog-friendly.
The owners also point out that in a time of COVID-19, their service cuts down on the number of person-to-person interactions unavoidable in large airports and on commercial jets.
Tailwind uses a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibians.
The service currently offers four Boston-to-New York and four New York-to-Boston flights per day through November.
Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters
The Associated Press contributed to this report.