We booked a 1-hour sunset helicopter tour and were quoted a flat rate of $600 for two people. The flight itself was beautiful -- the views were incredible and something we'll always remember.
Unfortunately, the experience ended on a disappointing note due to communication and billing issues.
When we arrived, we discovered there was an additional 2.7% credit card fee that had not been disclosed ahead of time. More concerning, about 30 minutes into the flight the pilot descended to land because he believed we had booked only a 30-minute ride. We were surprised because we had clearly scheduled a 1-hour sunset flight two months earlier, and our name was even listed on the schedule board for a one-hour tour.
After we clarified the misunderstanding, we went back up and completed the full flight. However, when we landed, we were told the total would now be $775 because we had gone slightly over the hour -- even though the extra time resulted from the earlier misunderstanding, not from any request on our part. After discussion, the total was slightly reduced, but we still ended up paying more than the original quoted amount.
I'm sharing this mainly so future customers can be prepared to ask questions about timing, billing policies, and additional fees before flying. The actual flight was scenic and memorable, but the end result left us disappointed. read more