When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Switzerland

Uber In The Air? A Ride-Sharing App For Private Planes

And it's cheaper than you think ...

Flying over the Alps
Flying over the Alps
Ghislaine Bloch

VISP — A startup from the Swiss canton of Valais has developed a smartphone app that enables users to book seats in helicopters, private planes or even business jets.

Swiss and Austrian companies, including Air Glaciers, Air Zermatt, Swiss Helicopter, Mountainflyers, Heli-West, Heli-Bernina and Heli-Austria are already offering more than 100 flights through the app, called MyAirSeat and available for free on Apple's App Store and the Google Play store.

Air Zermatt pilots Alexander Burger and Thomas Phammatter founded the startup in 2015. Their idea was for passengers to share flying costs and thus travel at reduced rates. MyAirSeat takes a 5% percentage.

"There are unoccupied seats left on almost every private plane because there's a lack of communication between flight companies and potential clients," says Burger. "A 20-minute flight in a helicopter costs 900 Swiss francs ($910) if you're the only passenger. That price falls to 220 francs ($222) if it's full."

Launched in late February, the app already offers 130 flights — to enjoy seeing the Alps from above, obviously, but also trips abroad, for example to Marina di Campo on the island of Elba, to Corsica, southern France or Austria. "We didn't think we'd have that much success in just two weeks," Burger says.

MyAirSeat is hoping to attract 7,000 passengers this year, 21,000 next year, and 100,000 in 2018.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Society

Is Disney's "Wish" Spreading A Subtle Anti-Christian Message To Kids?

Disney's new movie "Wish" is being touted as a new children's blockbuster to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. But some Christians may see the portrayal of the villain as God-like and turning wishes into prayers as the ultimate denial of the true message of Christmas.

photo of a kid running out of a church

For the Christmas holiday season?

Joseph Holmes

Christians have always had a love-hate relationship with Disney since I can remember. Growing up in the Christian culture of the 1990s and early 2000s, all the Christian parents I knew loved watching Disney movies with their kids – but have always had an uncomfortable relationship with some of its messages. It was due to the constant Disney tropes of “follow your heart philosophy” and “junior knows best” disdain for authority figures like parents that angered so many. Even so, most Christians felt the benefits had outweighed the costs.

That all seems to have changed as of late, with Disney being hit more and more by claims from conservatives (including Christian conservatives) that Disney is pushing more and more radical progressive social agendas, This has coincided with a steep drop at the box office for Disney.

Keep reading...Show less

The latest