Utah sheriff says he can still ticket Uber helicopter pilots

Utah authorities want to block the ride-hailing service Uber from flying people into the Sundance film festival on helicopters.

County attorneys requested a temporary restraining order Friday to prohibit helicopter rides, but 3rd District Judge Kara Petit declined to make a decision on the issue Friday, wanting first to hear more information from both sides Monday.

According to a statement from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office as of 3 p.m. Friday, “Uber and Blade Helicopter services have been given a cease-and-desist order by Sheriff Justin Martinez for acting in violation of 10-3-1 of the Summit County Code”.

Meanwhile, Uber and Airbus say there was no permit to apply for anyway, according to Business Insider.

As we reported earlier this week, Uber has teamed up with the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to transport Sundance Film Festival-goers in H125 and H130 helicopters from the Salt Lake City Airport to Park City. Uber representatives said the company was charging $200 one way during the day and $300 at night.

Uber told FOX 13 News Thursday it felt it had taken all the proper steps and expected to continue offering the service. Deputies could even arrest pilots and impound the helicopters. “It deals with a lot that’s happened in the world and happened very quickly”, Hilder said. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

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