Private Airbus A380 To Get A Gold Paint Job

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 13th 2008 at 8:02AM

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud the soon-to-be owner of the first private Airbus A380 is sparing no expense to make his doubledecker toy the most fabulously extravagant jet on the planet. He spent over $300 million on the plane and is currently spending more than half that much money on customizing the jet. As we've mentioned before on this site, the jet will have a whirlpool bath and sauna, a dining room paneled in marble, a gym and a desert-themed fiber-optic mural. The most incredible touch might just be the approximately $58 million he is spending to have the plane painted in gold leaf on the outside. It not only sounds luxurious it also sounds a little dangerous if the sun bounces off it. The plane will be ready in two years, until then, the prince will have to content himself with his current ride, his own 747 jumbo jet.

Tags: a380, airbus, jumbo jet, prince al-waleed, PrinceAl-waleed, sheikh

Filed under: Wings, Celebrity Shopping

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

boulderhorn Feb 13th 2008 9:09AM

This particular demonstration of a "royal" using the wealth of his country to treat himself like the most important person on earth is really pissing me off this morning for some reason. 450 million dollars would go a long way to helping a LOT of people on this planet... I mean 450 million to replace his current plane which is already worth 100s of millions of dollars. Damn.

John C. Randolph Feb 13th 2008 7:14PM

Bin Talal may be short on taste, but his fortune is for the most part the result of his own investment decisions. He inherited a lot, but he's not getting paid out of the public treasury of Saudi Arabia.

-jcr

Sajid Mahmood Feb 18th 2008 2:52AM

At least he is using the money only for his pleasure unlike America that uses its money to spread misery in the world. Better to use it on a luxury plane than on fighter planes, cruise missiles etc etc that kill inocent people.

leopoldogolba Feb 13th 2008 7:47PM

u can see alot pictures from these private airbus a380 here:
http://minhaselecao.blogspot.com/2007/11/mais-e-mais-fotos-da-nova-sensacao-do.html

dw Feb 14th 2008 3:02PM

Live it up guys,,,when the oil is gone. Your SCREWED:)

2T Feb 13th 2008 9:31PM

Is he not going to fly it anymore? Gold leaf is like glitter, it's just stuck on with glue & rubs off it you even touch it hard.

walywonder Apr 26th 2008 11:12AM

So much for helping your fellow man. I would imagine the workers who bring him his riches could use a little bit of this $.

Fangbeer Feb 15th 2008 7:57PM

Boulderhorn, Do you think the money just disappears? Do you think that Airbus just flushes that 300 million right down the toilet? How about the other people involved in pimping his plane? Do they set the money on fire or use it as a garnish for their salads? How many people do you think it took to make the plane? Five or six? It all ends up back in one guy's pocket, right?

stuart garfath Feb 16th 2008 8:30AM

PRINCE AL-WALLEED BIN ABDUL AZIZ AL-SAUD, you are just another product, and example, of obscene oil wealth. You, are NOT a prince in any sense of the word. You have no presence, no provenence, YOU disgrace your Mother. You have NO HONOUR. YOU ARE FAILED AS A MAN.
I AM, - STUART JOHN GARFATH, OF AUSTRALIA. If you truly want to BE A MAN, speak to me. That is all.

TIMEBANDIT Feb 16th 2008 9:19PM

Americans build the wells, Americans by the oil....When the oil is all gone, they will be a 3rd world country again, cutting each others heads off over a fake god.

barbara Feb 16th 2008 9:21PM

I have the Halal Chicken Strips ready to serve for breakfast. Contact me and I will personally deliver, no charge.

mmmmm Feb 17th 2008 12:36PM

americans suck but the oil will last for along time even after our lives so we will not get screwed but you americans are the third world people but we in the middle east are the first world screw the damn #$*@in americans u r just jealous because you have nothing screw the americans

BILL Feb 18th 2008 9:41AM

Hello Sajid. Mr Al-Waleed has every right to spend it as he wants, but a real prince would use that kind of money for the good of others. What would you do with that kind of money? Like most of us, I bet you would try to help the world. What good Christian or Muslim etc. would do any different. Personally I give to the National Geographic Afghan Girls Fund at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/donate/afghan_girls_fund.html. FYI When you combine private and government donations, America is one of the biggest charity donors in the world. You can attach our foreign policy's, but never our heart.

BILL Feb 18th 2008 9:50AM

Here's a good breakdown an charity giving by country. http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Debt/USAid.asp#ForeignAidNumbersinChartsandGraphs
I would also argue that the blood and treasure America has spent fighting communism and now Islamofascism is charity at its highest form.

Jack Sheet Feb 18th 2008 4:59PM

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud can spend his money how he wishes but it is sad to see 450 million go for a big toy. I guess it's good the money goes back to the West. Without foreign employees the Saudis can do nothing for themselves except herd goats.

Sajid the US/Great Britain have done more to help the world than any other countries in history. Western civilization has produced the science and medicine we all rely on and which has REDUCED human suffering more than anything the Arabs have contributed. It is trendy to bash the US and wear a Che t-shirt (or Osama or whoever) but when the tsunami hits who is there to help?

Hint: It isn't anybody from Middle East although they can buy gold airplanes.