Airbus superjumbo for private use

[wakeme2008]

Source: BBC

Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 15:20 GMT 16:20 UK

Airbus superjumbo for private use
An unnamed buyer at the Paris air show has placed an order for an Airbus A380 superjumbo to use as a private jet.

Airbus said the individual, "not from Europe or the US", would use the plane for "personal use for him and his entourage", AFP news agency reported.

The double-decker, which is thought to have cost $300m (£150m), has 900 sq m (10,000 sq ft) in cabin space and has room for up to 840 passengers.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6768237.stm

---

I would guess the buyer has hold hands with Bush but :)

[northzax]

1. i heard it was the sultan of dubai

actually...not Bandar...

[Texifornia]

3. Dubai doesn't have a Sultan

Sheik Mohammed is the Emir. He could probably afford it (Dubai has very little oil, but a great deal of wealth generated by commerce and tourism) but it doesn't sound like him. Sheik Mohammed lives rather modestly by the standards of Gulf State hereditary rulers. It sounds more like a Saudi thing, but Sheik Kalifa of Abu Dhabi could also be the buyer.

A 10,000 sq. ft. flying palace. That is ridiculous consumption.

[northzax]

5. sultan, emir, whatever

same difference, hereditary royalty is hereditary royalty, whatever you call them.

Luxist: http://www.luxist.com/2007/02/20/more-details-on-the-first-private-airbus-380/ reports that it is going to an "unnamed Arab head of State" which you are right, leans more towards Kalifa than the Sauds). of course, it's 172 in line, and the whole line is 5 years behind delivery schedule, so we shall see if it ever happens.

[rooboy]

11. Sultan of Brunei might be a possibility...

he already has a jet with gold trimming stitched into the seats.

[Bozita]

2. (sniff sniff) I smell oil.

Wretched excess goes hand in hand with oil.

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. He might have ordered it, but when is delivery anticipated?

I imagine if his plane is put ahead of say, Qantas or Singapore Airlines orders, there are going to be some seriously pissed off people. I bet is it going to be 4 years before he sees it delivered

[cobalt1999]

6. That much for a private plane you can only fly to a handful of airports worldwide?

Talk about a useless status symbol.

[Hieronymus]

7. Definitely an Arab. Remember Prince Bandar's house ..

the most expensive house in the US? $134,000,000. :eyes:

[badgervan]

8. Bandar?

That would mean the British people are paying for it with their taxes, thanks to the Poodle.

[qdemn7]

9. Can you say

High value target?? For the money he's paying that thing better have one hell of an anti-missle defense.

[Eurobabe]

10. It's Osama, he's tired of Tora Bora

[peacebuzzard]

12. That jet will not see U.S. commercial use anytime soon, IMO.

Too many complications involved with flying that many people in one aircraft.

[cobalt1999]

13. not to mention the runway, taxiway, and gate structural changes required.

It'll be primarily an long haul international route plane to a few airports.

[DrDan]

14. it could certainly be one of the royan family from Saudi

They have their private 747's. Why not a new airbus. And they all like to travel with extended family.

[pampango]

15. The Airbus A380 superjumbo is the best thing to ever happen to Boeing. n/t