World’s Most Luxurious Aircraft: A Look at Etihad’s A380

Etihad Airways has reached sky limits in terms of luxury by introducing a private suite complete with a living room, double bedroom, dining table separate, and an en-suite shower room. The three-section personal cabin on their new A380 features a lounge area, a bedroom and a bathroom.

Luxury Lobby for First class ticket holders.

Each of the Abu-Dhabi based airline will feature one residence, which can be occupied by two people. The residence bedroom features a double bed, joined to the living room by a short corridor. The living room features a two-seat leather couch, a dining table and private minibar. Both the living room and bedroom feature LCD television screens for in-flight entertainment.

Personal Sky Suites with LCD TV and Bed

By the middle of next year, Etihad’s A380 servicing the Sydney-Abu Dhabi route. The prospective passengers flying to London, Melbourne,New York and Paris will next in line to get their own luxuriously equipped A380’s.

Etihad’s aircraft’s already feature private chefs, but this is the first time any airline has offered a dedicated, skilled butler. This new aircraft will also feature nine first-class “apartments” in a 1-1 configuration on the upper deck. Six of which will have linking doors for those traveling together, and all will have access to a shower room. The first class suites will be 74 per cent larger than the existing Etihad first class product.

Full size beds for a hotel-in-air experience.

The A380 is the world’s largest airliner, measuring 72-metres long and with a wingspan of just under 80 metres. It’ll carry 498 passengers, with two residence guests, nine first class, 70 business class and 417 economy class passengers. The size of the A380 has allowed Etihad to do dabble around with the interiors, which was impossible before. Singapore Airlines, the first airline to take delivery of A380s, set the precedent by creating private “suites” in its first class cabin. Emirates, too, broke new ground with its A380 by becoming the first airline to install showers on-board.

First plane to provide Showers In-Flight.

The price has not yet announced officially , but considering the amount of money and effort they have put in  for this service, it is speculated to be approximately $20,000.

Carriers in the Middle-East and Asia are competing on their finest hand-outs in order to draw high-end travelers. The airlines in other parts of the world, including Qantas, have reduced the number of planes offering first class seats to put a focus on mid-range premium economy travel.