10 Dec 2006
Dubai: With over a year until Boeing rolls out its first 787 Dreamliner, a division of Lufthansa has already prepared a VIP interior design concept for the vaunted plane.
Lufthansa Technik, one of the world's largest airplane maintenance, repair and operations firms, also designs plane interiors.
Aage Duenhaupt, director of international communications, sees great potential in furnishing Gulf-based owners of VIP planes with its custom-tailored interior designs. Last month it unveiled its design concept for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Andrew Winch, a designer of luxury yacht interiors.
The company's design concepts include state-of-the-art entertainment, seating, bedrooms and bathrooms. The entire plane is outfitted with Ethernet and wireless capability to give its owners complete control at the touch of a button.
The cost of a VIP plane interiors can run from $20 million on to about $100 million, depending on the level of comfort, and Duenhaupt said he expects royalty, individuals and private corporations to buy three to four Dreamliners purchased by individuals per year. So far VIP clients have ordered five planes, which come off the assembly line in 2008 and cost $150 million each.
Although Boeing has yet to sell its Dreamliner to a Middle East carrier, which company officials say is one of its top goals, one of the VIP planes may belong to a Gulf-based client.
Boeing doesn't disclose the identity or geographical location of its VIP clients. But among the Gulf's nouveau super-rich, Duenhaupt said there may already be a Middle East client tucked away in Boeing's secret VIP client list.
"There is definitely interest in this region," he said. "We have been approached by Middle East VIPs in order to consult about interior designs and get going on the design, although I don't know if they have already reserved any planes."
As part of its MRO operations, Lufthansa Technik, which earned $4.2 billion euros in 2005, operates aircraft repair centers out of Hamburg and the Philippines.
"The Middle East is very important for us," said Duenhaupt. "We have seen a lot of growth here with carriers in region. If you ever see new aircraft orders, it is here."
State of the art technology
The cost of a VIP plane interior can run from $20 million to about $100 million, depending on the level of comfort. The company's design concepts include state-of-the-art entertainment, seating, bedrooms and bathrooms. The entire plane has wireless capability to give its owners complete control at the touch of a button.
By Ivan Gale
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
