Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted a New York helicopter tour company for seemingly profiting off of the tragic helicopter crash that killed six people last week.
In a Sunday press conference, Schumer blasted a company called FlyNYON after it began offering severely reduced fights for helicopter tours, Page Six reported. The promo came days after a chopper operated by a different company, New York Helicopter Tours, appeared to come apart in mid-air.
The incident killed the CEO of Siemens Mobility, Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children aged 4, 5, and 11. A 36-year-old pilot also died in the crash.
Escobar’s family was visiting from Spain and had arrived that day, according to reports.
“Listen to this. [FLYNYON] is offering the same kind of flights that just took the lives of these six people, but now, because of the crash, they’re giving a 70% discount special, outrageous, outrageous,” Schumer said.
While an investigation into the incident is underway, Schumer called on the Federal Aviation Administration to revoke New York Helicopter’s licenses. Schumer also rebuked “Part 91” licenses, used by New York Helicopter and FlyNYON, for not requiring the same rigorous training as other commercial flying licenses.
Schumer added that he believes less training for the “Part 91” license would make flights riskier for passengers.
“Right now New York Helicopter Tours is under investigation, under federal investigation, for these deaths, but first, I am urging the FAA to pull their operating certificate immediately and cease flights until their full investigation is concluded,” said Schumer. “At the very least, the FAA can take some action in the name of safety, we definitely should.”
In 2018, FlyNYON also suffered a tragedy when one of its choppers went down in the East River, Page Six reported.
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