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Monday, January 30, 2012

Saudi prince (Al-Waleed bin Talal) buys world's first ' Flying Palace '



 



 

Prince Al-Waleed signs on the dotted line to purchase his A380 at the Dubai air show 
 

 
 
Inside the world's biggest private jet with 4-poster beds, a Turkish bath... and a place to park the Rolls!
 


 




In a space normally given to 600 passengers, the owner and his guests will enjoy a five-star treatment from arrival. After driving to his plane, he will have the car parked in the onboard garage. 
 

According to Design Q's co-founder Gary Doy, a lift drops to the tarmac, and a red carpet unfurls, with downlights to 'give the impression of turning up at the Oscars'. The belly of the A380 has been turned into a relaxation zone, including a Turkish bath lined with marble only two millimetres thick to keep the weight down.
 

Next door is a well-being room, with the floor and walls turning into a giant screen showing the ground below. Guests can stand on a 'magic carpet' and watch the journey, a scented breeze blowing into the room.
 

If work is unavoidable, the boardroom is on hand with iTouch screens and live share prices projected onto the tables. For conference calls, a business partner on the ground can be virtually projected to the table to 'join' a meeting. 
 
The five suites which form the owner's private quarters have king-size beds, entertainment systems and a prayer room featuring computer-generated prayer mats which always face Mecca . A lift shuttles between the plane's three floors, from the private quarters upstairs, down to the concert hall, featuring a baby grand piano and seating for ten, and to the garage below. 
 

 
 

There are around 20 'sleepers' - the equivalent of First Class seats - for extra guests. According to the designers, the style is elegant curves and swirls of Arabic writing. 
 
 


 

AND NOW THE LATEST NEWS! 
 

Al-Waleed Spends $176 Million to Outfit His A380

After dropping nearly $320 million on his new Airbus A380 jet, Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia is spending another $176 million on ultra-lavish modifications, including a $60 million gold leaf paintjob. An unnamed German company is customizing the interior of the plane to include:
A lounge to seat a travelling entourage of 25 trusted aides;
A marble-panelled dining room with seating for 14;
A bar with curtains to mimic tents of the Arabian Desert;
A fibre-optic mosaic that will depict a shifting desert scene;
A movie theatre with plush leather seats the color of sand dunes;
A series of bedrooms linked to stewardesses by intercom;
A gym with Nautilus equipment and running machines; and
A large silk bed designed to resemble a Bedouin tent that will be the centrepiece of the plane’s interior.

Reports speak of the decor as being Lawrence of Arabia meets Star Wars. Al-Waleed's A380 will be completed in two years, and in the meantime, he will cruise in his Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.
 

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