It’s a long haul between New York and Mumbai, but Etihad, the United Arab Emirates national carrier, has figured out a way to make it a comfortable journey—for those willing to pay $38,000 (Rs 25 million) for a one-way ticket, anyway.
It’s the new most expensive flight in the world. A round-trip ticket would cost a staggering $76,000 (£52,000) at single or double occupancy. Plus: it’s not even a direct flight. It has a stopover in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad has created The Residence, a private luxurious three-room suite. Billed as a “penthouse in the sky,” it comes with a chef, a butler, and turndown service for the double bed, outfitted with Italian linens.
The cabin also comes with a living room with a leather couch and a 32-inch flat screen television for passengers prepared to binge-watch their way across the world. Foldaway dining tables mean there’s plenty of room for the freshly-prepared meals, which, again, are cooked to order by an on-board chef and served by a butler.
A hallway leads to a bedroom with a double bed—a first for a commercial airline—and a 27-inch flat-screen TV. Before landing, passengers can freshen up in a private bathroom. They can even take a bona-fide shower.
In addition to these in-flight luxuries, the ticket cost includes luxury chauffeured transportation to and from the airport, private check-ins away from the maddening airport crowds, and access to a private lounge, as well as use of a personal travel concierge who can help book a table at a restaurant and score concert or sports tickets.
This experience is currently only available on Etihad’s fleet of Airbus A380-800 aircraft, which also come with a flying nanny. The planes seat nearly 500 passengers, including 415 in economy. (If you pay for The Residence, you won’t see anyone but your staff.)
In addition to New York and Mumbai, according to the Daily Mail, passengers can also pay a small fortune to travel in style in The Residence between Abu Dhabi, London, and Sydney. Flights to and from Melbourne begin on June 1. A one-way ticket on the London-Mumbai route will cost $26,000.
Source: T+L
