Airbus Says No to Prince’s Swimming Pool at 35,000 Feet
It would appear that even the ultra-rich don’t always get your way. It seems that money can’t buy everything these days, as news broke that Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s personal Airbus A380 “Flying Palace” will not feature an onboard swimming pool.
An Airbus executive recently told jet trade publication Aviation International News, “You can forget about the swimming pool,” and that doing a few laps at 35,000 feet “can’t happen and won’t happen.” Despite the plane’s 5,930-square feet of cabin space, several thousand gallons of splashing water still amounts to a modern aviation conundrum and potential problem during flight.
Though the pool is off the amenity list, please don’t feel too sorry for Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The jumbo jet’s interior from Airbus will still feature several nice touches when it is delivered sometime in 2012. It will most likely have seating for 100, along with multiple bedrooms, lounges, dining rooms, offices and potentially a multi-tiered theater.
The Prince is expected to spend upwards of $150 million to outfit the plane’s interior—this on top of the $310 million price tag he spent for the Airbus plane itself.
A plane completion firm has not yet signed a contract for the jet, but there are two companies in the running for the plush job: Lufthansa Technik and Jet Aviation. While the Prince has an estimated four-year wait for his plane, the rest of us can experience the A380 now.
Singapore Airlines took delivery of its second A380 this month, and it flies between Singapore and Sydney. The third A380 will be delivered to the airline in February and will fly the London Heathrow to Singapore route.
