Even the heavens are no limit for the flying palace

By Kristelle Devieux

Our deepest sympathy goes out to our aviation enthusiasts who must be devastated at the idea that someone has beaten them to acquiring the first commercial airliner for private use. The Airbus A380 model, a double-decker intended to accommodate 555 passengers, is set to debut services in the U.S. next year pending F.A.A. approval. An undisclosed customer recently got his hands on the A380, marking the first time a super jumbo aircraft originally designed for commercial purposes has been purchased to fulfill personal transportation needs.

Any aviation connoisseur knows that this is a luxury beyond price! But the $300 million tag on the aircraft is only the initial cost that the private owner will have to lash out. The customized lavish interior, designed by Edése Doret, a New York-based jet and yacht interior design firm, will add another $150 million to the tab. This customization project, which will take about a year and a half to complete, represents Edése Doret’s most extensive project in the company’s 12-year history. The firm is going all out with innovative facilities to outfit the interior of the super jumbo jet. The upper deck, which measures 147 feet long, will contain a grand lounge, a sumptuous 600 square foot master suite alongside additional bedrooms, a tricked out master bathroom with Jacuzzi, a family dining room, game room, and offices. The lower deck will have an additional dining room and work space, as well as other amenities for the crew and staff.

Furthermore there will be three galleys (or kitchen facilities), and the icing on the cake: a mosaic built with fiber optics to create the simulation of a desert oasis on the walls and Arab tents on the curtains of a lounge area. The pattern of Arabic scripts, Arab tents, and the mention of Dubai in addition to the desert simulation confirms that this billionaire aviation aficionado is from the Middle East; possibly an oil tycoon, a head of state, or both. This would explain the fact that Edése Doret’s concept for the interior was inspired by the scenery and feel of a desert-like environment. This environment will be furthermore emphasized with the use of warm tones such as olive green, bright orange, and yellow.

In addition to the interior design there will be a modification of the fuselage to appropriate a tailored stairway, which will allow access to the plane directly from the ground through the cargo bay-the same kind of stairway found on Air Force One.

This extravagant aircraft has been dubbed “The Flying Palace” due to its over-the-top amenities and décor. The Flying Palace represents the epitome of an eager and powerful customer paving the way to a new trend in the acquisition of private jets.