Hotel Suite in the Air

Etihad Airways has recently launched it’s “The residence by Etihad”, which is a flying suite for passengers. A literal “Suite” with a living room, bedroom and en-suite shower. All this with a personal butler for that hotel suite feel when flying from Abu Dhabi to London.

Some may see this idea as revolutionary. Still, it is not new. Etihad's new investment is an answer to the growing trend of private aviation. Private Jets have long been configured as hotel suites flying in the sky for passengers who can afford it and want their flight to be as comfortable as possible. The idea of hotel suites is not new and can be traced to the launch of the first Boeing Business Jet in 1999 which featured the option that customers could configure their aircrafts with a bedroom and living room.

The competition is increasing due to new technology and better aircrafts. Private aircraft are now about competing against long range commercial aircraft in both range and speed. The Cessna Citation X cruises at Mach 0.935, faster than an A380; and the Gulfstream 650 has a range of almost 13,000km, comparable to most commercial Jets. Furthermore, in this “green” era, all aircrafts are built to be more reliable and fuel-efficient, hence reducing cost of fuel and maintenance. This translates to reduced prices for the customers and increased accessibility to such exclusive aircraft.

Etihad certainly has chosen to challenge these aircraft in a category that even the best commercial aircraft First Class and Sky Suites are unable match. It holds a trump card: the A380 has a longer range compared to its smaller private aviation counterparts with a whopping 15,000km range. This perk allows them to do certain routes which even the longest range private jets cannot do.

A private jet, however, also has an ace card up its sleeves. Unlike commercial aircraft which follows a strict schedule of take-off and landing times; they just need a slot at the airport for the time of departure and arrival and simply take off and land at the pre-decided times. With this, customers can save precious time compared to scheduled airlines that fly only at certain times. Imagine landing at in the city in your private hotel suite for a day trip at 9am in the morning. You could shop the whole day and return to your aircraft just in time for a night sleep back home. It is possible to arrange the correct commercial flights for such a trip but still why let someone else’s schedule hamper you when you can make your own schedule with a private aircraft?

At Luxury Cube, we provide you the best information to make an informed decision to book that private jet of yours! Honest, truthful information with all costs upfront so you can decide which is the best aircraft to suit you. Make an informed decision now, book now with Luxury Cube!