When flying for business, you basically have three options: You can sit with the common folk in Economy Class, talk stock options in Business Class, or sip champagne with celebs in First Class.
Or you could just convince your boss to order a brand new, fully customised Dreamliner – that’s been built specifically for your company’s needs – and then just wait for its delivery.
Well, that’s what one Chinese firm, HNA Aviation Group (which is the parent company of Hainan Airlines), will be doing later this month.
That’s right, China’s HNA Aviation Group will be making all of us insanely jealous very soon when they take delivery of a brand-new Dreamliner that’s been fully customised to provide absolute comfort in the sky. The Chinese firm will be the first company in aviation history to receive a Dreamliner that has been specifically built for them as a BBJ – a Boeing Business Jet.
Take a look at it below:
(Other Dreamliners have been converted into private jets in the past, but this one was designed and fitted for private use right from the start, which was back in 2014.)
Converted for private use by Krestel Aviation Management – who purchased, designed, modified and sold the aircraft – this fully customised Boeing 787 is basically like a five-star hotel room in the sky. It features five (huge) private bathrooms, one massive bedroom featuring a King-sized bed, and a spacious lounge area with plush seating.
Basically we’re talking a flying luxury home that can accommodate around 40 souls (with their luggage) and fly for up to 17 hours without stopping to refuel.
But here’s the catch, and it’s a pretty BIG one (WARNING: look away accountants): this Dreamliner comes with a $300 million dollar price tag…
Yup. Comfort in the sky certainly doesn’t come cheap, but boy does it look incredible!
The foyer
You can sleep in here
One of the five bathrooms
Enough room for ya?
Speaking to Business Insider, Kestrel Aviation Management CEO, Stephen Vella, said that the interior of the aircraft took a year to engineer from scratch, and another year and a half to fabricate and install (check out this video of a Dreamliner being built from scratch). The modifications cost over $100 million in addition to the $224.6 million dollar list price of the aircraft.
Stephen Vella, CEO, Kestrel Aviation Management
The soon-to-be-delivered Boeing 787 will be the 143rd Dreamliner to take to the skies since first entering the market in December 2013.
Later this year in December, Vietnam Airlines will be launching a Dreamliner service to Australia, whilst Air New Zealand will be using a Dreamliner on its Christchurch-Perth route.
Sources: Business Insider, Krestel Aviation Management
