First glimpse inside potential VIP Airbus A380 Flying Palace launch customer's interior design

The New York-based studio, which has been developing internal concepts for the A380, has a specific agreement with an unidentified customer to design an interior for a VIP A380, dubbed 'Flying Palace' by the manufacturer. Airbus announced earlier this month that it had secured an as-yet unspecified launch customer for the VIP variant, whose interior plans are understood to be advanced. It is not known whether these pictures are for that launch customer.

Company president Edése Doret has released initial images of the interior to flightglobal.com. While the design is nearing completion, it is still subject to adjustment by the client, he says: “They will most likely make changes prior to design freeze.”

While Doret will neither confirm nor deny that the customer is from the Middle East region, the images clearly show flat-screen moving map monitors carrying Arabic script with Dubai as the origin point of a theoretical flight path.

The main-deck forward cabin shows the stairway leading to the stateroom, guest suites and upper-deck lounge. It also includes four swivel-seats and a 107cm (42in) monitor. A spiral stairway leads to a lower crew-rest area.

Behind this area, on the main deck, is located a grand lounge which includes a 178cm screen, flush-mounted with the cabin divider, plus a VIP lavatory to the left and wet bar on the right of the central structure. Aft of the lounge is a dining zone suite with a table surrounded by 14 seats.

Once finalised, says a spokesman for Edése Doret, the layout will be submitted to an outfitter who, subject to the aircraft’s being ordered, will take responsibility for the finishing.

Airbus disclosed recently that it had obtained a letter of intent to provide a VIP A380. It is unclear whether this agreement and that with the design house are with the same client.

Article at: flightglobal.com