In this day and age, owning a jet is just the beginning for the world’s most elite travelers. Filthy rich dudes with millions stuffed in various banks can even afford a big airbus with ease. But then the dilemma is for those yearning for exclusivity. And so pimping the aircrafts to transform them into luxurious flying palaces is the mantra. And finally as it’s always said, “it’s what’s on the inside that counts” holds true, isn’t it? A custom designed interior is what separates a lacklustered mode of aircraft interiors for a stylish reflection of personal panache. There are no limits to just how much luxury you can experience with swanky décors with high tech features. Whether you want to deck out your airbus or jet for an important board meeting in London or a romantic dinner in Paris or a weekend getaway at the golf course for the executives, get tips from this list of Top 10 luxurious aircraft interiors...
10) Strato Cruiser Airship
Though the luxurious Strato Cruiser Airship by Tino Schaedler and Michael J Brown is a concept yet this luxury helium-filled airship will feature a gourmet restaurant, a spa, a swimming pool, a resident DJ, library, and private mini-offices, to name a few.The Strato Cruiser airship combines the luxury cruise experience with Richard Branson’s futuristic visions of space travel. The travelers will be pampered with spa treatments - massage, personal trainers, yoga classes and beauty care so the travelers will come out energized instead of looking weary. Further, its doughnut hole atrium reinvents the zeppelin concept with a sky lounge on top, the earthward viewing restaurant and bar on the underside and a recreational climbing wall in between. Private suites are sheltered away from public spaces on the ship’s belly.
9) Aeroscraft ML866 aircraft
Shaped like a whale, the Aeroscraft ML866 aircraft is as big as a superyacht and touts a range of over 3000 miles. Boasting a top speed of 138 mph (222 km/h), the ML866 comes with its own airport and features over 5,000 sq ft of cabin space to put you into extreme lavishness. The aircraft is able to take off vertically like a helicopter to reduce the runaway time. The most prominent aspect of the ML866 design is its spacious and comfy space, which is almost half the size of a football field. One of the Aeroscraft ML866 configurations to be offered is an airborne business center that will be equipped with an automated office, video conferencing facility, a sophisticated communications package, transformable interior, personal state room and a physical conference space.
8) Etihad Airline’s Diamond Seat
The world’s leading new airline, Etihad Airways are back onto the top-luxury slot with their in-flight innovation with the arrival of its new purpose-built Airbus 340-500 and the revolutionary Diamond Seat. The luxury seat can rotate 180 degrees, enabling guests to hold meetings and dine with one another, all in the Diamond zone’s luxurious surroundings. The seat also features a 23′ personal LCD video screen and mood lighting to add to the luxury travel experience. Besides the 180 degrees swivel feature, the seat also features a six-way movement headrest with built-in massage facility and the seat even converts into luxurious 6 feet 1 inch flat bed at the touch of a button to provide home like comforts when traveling. The Diamond zone is also equipped with fold-and-swivel meal tables, an integrated personal mirror, pneumatic lumbar support, reading light and desk lamp apart from the surrounding luxuries that includes a coatroom and mini-bar. So, if you think traveling is a weary-experience then you need to discover the new levels of comfort when traveling with Etihad Airways revolutionary Diamond Seat.
7) 2005 GULFSTREAM G550
This luxury Gulfstream G550 sits 14 passengers in beautiful leather seating configuration and is equipped with a conference table, two lavatories, two coffee makers, a high temperature oven and microwave, a dish washer, china and crystal storage, a stainless steel sink, two ice compartments, a thermoelectric cooled food storage compartment, a thirty gallon pressurized water system, a hot water heater and air conditioning. This airplane also comes with Internet access, printer and fax machine. The cabin video equipment includes two DVD players, one 20 Inch LCD monitor, one 17 Inch LCD monitor, seven 7 Inch LCD monitors and three more smaller LCD monitors. Additionally there are two digital multi-system converters, two color touch screen remote controls, two RF remote controls and ten 115 volt AC electrical outlets. Also included in this configuration is a fuselage mount forward view camera, fuselage mount aft view camera and a tail mounted camera. While the passenger audio systems includes ten mid range speakers, four subwoofer speakers, seven pages system speakers, 16 stereo headphone jacks and headphones and one CD player.
6) Airbus A350 With BMW Interiors
Want to experience BMW’s luxury in an absolutely new avatar! Airbus A350 unveiled its A350 twinjet at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2006 exhibition in Hamburg next month that featured opulent interiors by BMW. Airbus has linked with BMW Group Designworks to design a new interior on the A350. The ultra-luxury cabin will boast of high-end luxury features like the A350 chief engineer Dougie Hunter says, “We can project onto the ceiling whatever is appropriate for the mood required, for example the night sky or clouds etc. Hunter says that, a concept around the door two area has a bar area and seating for economy while the entrance area will feature a dome to give the feeling of spaciousness or openness in the cabin.” The new luxurious airbus will also have improved overhead bin design to increase their volume.
5) Luxo-Jets
Brazilian company Embraer had teamed up with BMW’s Los Angeles studio, DesignworksUSA, for some super-swank interiors for the company’s medium-range jets. The Phenom 300 pictured here should be one of the first to get the BMW interior, expected to take to the skies in 2009. The $6.65 million (probably more with this snazzy interior) jet flies at 41,000 feet and has a range of 2,078 miles. This interior is intended for the company’s line of medium-range jets. It features a full galley and lavatory and a very Teutonic, tech-heavy lounge-style cabin with lay-flat seats, deployable tables, and muted lighting.
4) Versace & Tag Aircraft Interiors
The Versace clientele can now deck-up their private jets too in Versace with the company’s extended interior styling line for aircrafts in association with TAG Aircraft Interiors. Versace geared up to produce unique cabin designs for the ultra rich. Each design will be a complete one off, and your custom interior will be signed and numbered by Versace. The leather seating is inspired by the Versace home couture collection, and is designed to offer the utmost in luxury and comfort. Apparently, clients can also participate creatively with the Versace’s designer’s team to conceive the personalised interior spaces built to their own specifications.
3) Airbus A380 VIP ‘Flying Palace’
Opulence has no boundaries! And, one of the newest trends with the ultra-rich is owning more expensive jets that are normally associated with commercial airlines like the Airbus A319, A320 and the Boeing 737. A U.S.-based design company is working on the interior design for the VIP version of the Airbus A380 “Flying Palace” for a prospective customer. The luxuriously designed Airbus A380 includes a fully-equipped interior office or board room, a curvy cocktail bar which boasts a super-size TV screen, cozy seating and private dining or relaxing zone.
2) Singapore Airlines private bedroom
Singapore Airlines upgraded their luxury seating by announcing the new ’super-first’ class on the Airbus A380 double decker. The fully enclosed private suites, which signify to the ‘golden age’ of flying boats in the thirties and forties, have been designed by famous yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste. Each suite will be equipped with a leather seat and a full-sized bed with mattress. The two middle suites can be further transformed into doubles for couples. The cabins will be getting a gadget galore, including a 23-inch flat-screen TV, with a choice of 100 films and 180 TV programmes, and 700 CDs. A ritzy aircraft without a bedroom is like an action movie without a high-speed car chase!
1) BMW 787 cabin concept for Russian tycoon
Boeing Business Jets approached DesignworksUSA and challenged the firm to create a conceptual 787 aircraft interior for a fictitious, affluent, Russian client in his mid-thirties. So in a pursuit to render a second luxurious home, the design team at DesignworksUSA came up with an interior with semi-translucent walls, residential-style furniture that lets space visually continue around it and vistas that let the eye travel beyond the immediate environment. The interiors of the luxury jet features a bar, scores of couches, beds, meeting rooms, stairs, and even enough space to fit in your BMW. Did I miss something?
