Video – Aviation Instagrammer – Flies as the only passenger in a $200 million Boeing 747 Jumbo ‘flying palace’ that was once owned by the Qatari royal family
Getting a chance to fly in a highly-specialized private Boeing 767 customized for Qatari royal family sounds like a great opportunity for any aviation influencer. However, aviation blogger Sam Chui recently got a once-in-a-lifetime experience to fly in the ‘head of state configured’ Jumbo as the sole passenger onboard. Sam documented the four-hour flight from Ontario, Canada to Arizona, US, giving exclusive details of the lavish interiors that include a master bedroom with a double bed and en-suite, and a conference room with a reclining ‘throne’ seat. In his detailed blog post and YouTube video, Sam gives us a complete virtual tour of the uber-luxurious private jet that was previously owned by the Qatari royal family, describing it as his ‘greatest flight of 2019 so far’. The Boeing 747-SP was built in 1979 and changed several hands before being acquired by Qatar Amiri Flight, where it was in service till 2018.
The upper deck of the Boeing 747-SP 12 features “LA-Z-BOY” deep recliner seats and a small galley behind. The seats have so much legroom that even the tallest of people won’t find any shortage of space. Instead of usual overhead luggage bins, the upper deck has beautiful side bins next to each window.The classic Boeing 747 spiral staircase to the lower deck looks straight out of a penthouse suite of an uber-luxurious hotel. The nose of the customized B747 houses the master bedroom and the en-suite bathroom. The entire space is decked-out in sky blue, beige and gold accents. The en-suite located right at the nose of the aircraft is styled in an old-fashioned way and features ornate fittings.Sam Chui can be seen here on the master bedroom’s double bed that has an electronically adjustable mattress. All the functions can be controlled by a remote on the side table.Beyond the stairwell is what Sam describes the best room of the aircraft – the conference room. Right at the center of the room is a big blue throne for the king that can recline to 180 degrees flat with a push of an electronic button.Next to it is the dining hall that has big, comfy chairs upholstered in plush blue leather. There are paintings on the wall depicting Qatar’s past.The dining hall has its own small office with a desk and chair and a sofa on the other side. The office also has its own bathroom.The rest of the aircraft is filled with more business class seats and normal seats for the entourage and the support staff. Most of the functions are electronically-controlled and is still in proper, working condition even through the aircraft is four decades old.
The nose of the customized B747 houses the master bedroom and the en-suite bathroom. The entire space is decked-out in sky blue, beige and gold accents. The en-suite located right at the nose of the aircraft is styled in an old-fashioned way and features ornate fittings.
