Tue, Nov 13, 2007
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Already Has His
Own 747
It's good to be king. Or, in this case, Prince Alwaleed bin
Talal bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding company...
who signed a firm order with Airbus for an A380 Flying Palace,
becoming the first customer for the VIP version of the new
double-deck superjumbo.
Airbus tells ANN the ultra-lux A380 will be powered by
Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. It will undergo cabin outfitting at
a yet to be chosen completion center.
"Prince Alwaleed’s order means that Airbus’ sales
success in the corporate jet market now extends from its smallest
aircraft, the A318 Elite, all the way up to its largest, the A380
Flying Palace," said Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers,
John Leahy. "It also complements our strong VIP A330/A340
sales."
With a pricetag of $320 million -- before cabin outfitting --
the Flying Palace offers nearly 6,000-square feet of cabin space.
The aircraft will require a flight crew of about 15 to operate.
"Prince Alwaleed is the first, and so far the only customer of
this aircraft," Airbus spokesman David Velupillai told
Breitbart.
The prince is the biggest individual shareholder in Citigroup
Inc., and the world's 13th wealthiest individual. He also likes big
planes; his current aerial chariot is a 747-400, the only such
aircraft in private hands.
"It's like buying a new car or a new TV," Velupillai wryly told
The Associated Press. "One wants something bigger and better."
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