Toulouse,France: An Arab sheikh has ordered what is perhaps the world’s most expensive status symbol — an Airbus A380 converted into a ‘flying palace’. It is the company’s first order from a private buyer.
The Middle Eastern head of state, who has not been named, is paying £150 million (about Rs 18,000 crore) for his new purchase.
Luxuries on board
Among the luxuries to be installed are a whirlpool tub, two dining areas, a 600 sq ft master bedroom and a games room. A missile defence system inside the plane, has also been planned.
The A380, which can seat up to 853 passengers, is the largest plane in aviation history, and the most expensive.
Jet interiors expert Edise Doret, who is fitting out the plane, estimated the upgrade would cost an extra £75 million (about
Rs 900 crore).
The A380’s whirlpool tub — believed to be the first in the air — will have a drainage system that can empty the water to a tank in the cargo hold, in seconds. This is in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
Doret, based in New York, also plans a living area with curtains mimicking tents of the Arabian desert and a fibre-optic mosaic depicting a shifting desert scene.
High fuel consumption
Maintenance and fuel costs will be astronomical as compared to those of smaller jets.
Exact figures for the A380 are unavailable, but rival Boeing’s 747-400 costs more than £5,000 (about Rs 5.6 lakhs) an hour to fly.
Outfitting jumbo jets as mobile mansions is the latest craze among the richest of the rich.
The estimated cost for upgrading and customising the interiors of the Airbus A380 Rs 900 crore !