The mile-high luxury club?

The European Business Aviation Association's was held in Switzerland earlier this month. On show were models of the brand-new Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 in VIP configuration - set up for a company or a very wealthy individual, with every possible luxury option, from king-size beds, through hot tubs, to hot and cold running servants.

Here's the Boeing 787 mock-up:

And here's the Airbus A350:

Apparently there are already quite a few similar luxury versions of earlier airliners. The Persian Gulf and oil-producing states seem to have the lion's share of them (not surprising, really - your petrodollars at work!). Airbus actually claims to have an order for at least one of their giant A380 double-decker airliners, for conversion into a luxury personal aircraft for an unnamed client in that area, and I know there are a few Boeing 747's that already serve the same function. They apparently make Air Force One look like a slum by comparison! Reports are that gold taps and cutlery are not unknown aboard them. The images below are courtesy of Boeing Business Jets.




Ah, well . . . next time I cram myself into an economy-class torture device seat for the twelve-hour trip to visit Miss D., I'll try not to dream about these more luxurious alternatives!



Peter