AirbusA380

Emirates Orders 32 More Airbus A380s

Filed under: Wings

Airlines in the U.S. seem to having their troubles but Emirates, the largest Arab carrier, is growing at an astounding rate. At the Berlin Air Show the company announced that it has ordered 32 A380s from Airbus for $11.5 billion. That's in addition to the previously ordered 58 A380s to make a massive fleet of the doubledecker aircraft. In the past two years Emirates has put 10 A380s into operation to serve eight destinations.The company had a record profit increase of 248 percent in the last fiscal year and has said it could hit $1 billion in profits this year.

Tags: a380, A380 superjumbo, Airbus, AirbusA380, emirates

Robb Report Offers the World's Most Expensive Xmas Gift for $500 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wings, Wealth

Looking for a really unforgettable Christmas present for that special someone this year? That glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report has just the thing - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The eye-popping present, the world's most expensive, is part of the profligate publication's Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal offering of over-the-top exclusives. The recipient will receive an Airbus A380 (above), the world's largest jumbo jet, and a bespoke megayacht, both customized by renowned designer Patrick Knowles. The interiors will complement each other creating what Knowles calls a "custom personal brand" for the lucky owner. There's one catch - considering the backlog on A380 deliveries and the time required to design and build a custom megayacht, the giftee will have to wait at least six years to get their hands on the toys.

Tags: Airbus A380, AirbusA380, gifts, megayacht, Patrick Knowles, PatrickKnowles, private jet, PrivateJet, Robb Report, RobbReport, worlds most expensive, WorldsMostExpensive, yacht

Challenging Economy Doesn't Stop Plans For The World's Most Lavish Private Jet

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Wealth

One of the world's richest men, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia has been divesting himself of his hotel assets lately but one thing he doesn't seem to be set to give up is his Airbus A380 which will be the first private jet for this model. He hasn't officially said that he is the owner of the plane but just about everyone is certain that the Saudi prince will be making this his new flying palace. We've been covering this one for a while, including the rumor that the exterior will be painted gold. Now some interior plans have been revealed including a special cylindrical elevator will carry his Rolls-Royce into his own on-board garage. The plane will also include a Turkish bath, concert hall, ample private quarters and a boardroom. One amazing detail is the airplane equivalent of a glass-bottom board, a floor made from a giant screen that will show where the plane is flying over. The lavish plane is said to cost around $488 million. More images are up over at Gadling.

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Tags: airbus a380, AirbusA380, alwaleedbintalal, plane, prince alwaleed bin talal, PrinceAlwaleedBinTalal

Business Jets See Drop In U.S. Demand

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

At the recent Farnborough International Air Show, usually abuzz with the latest in jet envy, market experts were instead agreeing that the U.S. demand for business jets has softened considerably. And some companies are pulling the plug on private jet travel unless the circumstances truly justify it. Supposedly due to the current economic downturn and not a response to surging fuel costs, the decrease in U.S. demand for corporate jets is in stark contrast to burgeoning sales in Russia and the Middle East, whose new moguls are shelling out between $3 and $40 million for aircraft ordered at the air show.

It's not that execs are flying commercial -- the rough equivalent of trading in your Lamborghini for a used minivan full of crying babies -- but they are chartering flights instead of buying their own wings. Business jetsetters are turning more frequently to NetJets fractional ownership or a Marquis jet card, a kind of jet use debit card. Not exactly the Greyhound of the skies just yet, a Marquis jet card starts at $126,900 for 25 hours of flight time. And you won't have the joy of pimping out your cabin like that renowned Airbus A380, whose on-board hot tub and "desert oasis" tacked on an additional $150 million to the aircraft's pricetag.

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Tags: airbus a380, AirbusA380, bombardier, business jets, BusinessJets, marquis jet card, MarquisJetCard, netjets, private jet, PrivateJet

More Delays For the A380 Jet

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

For those patiently waiting for a ride aboard the massive double-decker Airbus 380, it seems like you are going to have to keep waiting. Airbus has said they are expecting new delays of at least six months. They still plan to deliver the first plane to Singapore Airlines but wiring problems with the A380 will mean that they will produce only nine planes next year instead of 27. The delays may force some companies to cancel their orders or lease other planes.

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Tags: airbus a380, AirbusA380, flight, planes, travel

More Extravagant Plans For The A380

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

We've heard of some extravagant plans for the Airbus A380 before but Lufthansa Technik has a bold new idea for their VIP version of the plane, an interior driving range for golf practice. According to an article in the Sunday Times, the deluxe private A380 will cost over £200m and will include en-suite bedrooms and a private dining room. Lufthansa Technik believes there are about 20 customers in the world with the desire for the ultimate private plane including such big spenders as the Sultan of Brunei and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a Riyadh-based investment tycoon. Other details of this dream plane include wireless internet, 50-inch plasma television screens, mood lighting to minimize jet lag, a mini gym and a sauna. It seems like my prediction over a year ago of an in-flight Jacuzzi wasn't too far off. You've got a little time to raise the necessary cash, the earliest delivery slot for a VIP A380 is 2011 or 2012.

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Tags: airbus a 380, AirbusA380, airplane, jet, lufthansa