Here’s a shocker(or is it really): A $300 million, super-sized luxury airplane, bought by a Saudi Arabian billionaire.
Once done, the Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger plane, will be a “flying palace” for Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the manufacturer announced Monday.
Airbus SAS would not give a specific price tag for the VIP double-decker jet, with its football field-length wings, saying only that it would cost more than the aircraft’s list price of $320 million.
That doesn’t even include the money the prince will spend to custom fit the nearly 6,000-square foot plane to include whatever he wants. The options include private bedrooms, a movie theater or even a gym with a jacuzzi. He’ll also need a flight crew of about 15 to operate the luxury liner.
The A380’s upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage. This allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400,and provides seating for 525 people in standard three-class configuration or up to 853 people in full economy class configuration.
Al-Waleed bin Talal s a member of the Saudi Royal Family, and an entrepreneur and international investor. He has amassed his fortune through investments in properties and stocks. As of 2007, his net worth is estimated at US$20.3 billion and he is ranked by Forbes as the 13th richest person in the world, and the richest Arab. He has been nicknamed by Time magazine as the Arabian Warren Buffett.
“Prince Alwaleed is the first, and so far the only customer of this aircraft,” said David Velupillai, the spokesman of the Airbus, which announced the luxury order at the Dubai International Airshow.
It’s all just spending cash for bin Talal — Citigroup Inc.’s biggest individual shareholder and the world’s 13th richest person with assets around $20 billion.
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