The most luxurious private jet ever? Inside the new US$110 million Airbus A320neo airliner – dubbed a ‘flying penthouse apartment’
For ‘the elite of the elite’, Acropolis Aviation’s new private jet is the pinnacle of luxury travel – designed with comfort and space in mind, and more comparable to a penthouse suite than an airliner
The Airbus A320neo was a game-changer for airlines and is now being eyed by the private jet industry.
The first next-generation aircraft to be produced by the European manufacturer, the A320neo promised and delivered lower operating costs and increased efficiency compared to the previous generation Airbus A320s.
The aircraft has the same shell of its ever-popular predecessor but features new engines and aerodynamically friendly sharklet wingtips, both aiding its reduced fuel consumption and providing additional range.
While the passenger model of the A320neo is in use the world over with airlines such as British Airways, Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa, there's a small subset of the aircraft being produced with the world's mega elite in mind.
Marketed as an Airbus Corporate Jet, the ACJ320neo is an A320neo modified for private use for when a regular private jet doesn't cut it. The aircraft is the latest in the ACJ line-up, with aircraft as large as the Airbus A350 XWB being offered in the product line.
UK charter operator Acropolis Aviation took delivery of the first Airbus ACJ320neo in January 2019 at Airbus' main production facility in Toulouse, France, after which it went straight to Switzerland to have its luxurious interior cabin installed. Thirteen months later, the aircraft is ready to take passengers and is already jet setting around the world.
The cabin, designed by Yves Pickardt of Alberto Pinto Interior Design, is the pinnacle of luxury travel designed with comfort and space in mind, more comparable to a penthouse suite than an airliner.
While a passenger-configured Airbus A320neo can seat upwards of 180 people, this corporate-configured variant seats a mere 19 and can sleep 17. The design is aimed at exclusivity rather than capacity.
The apartment-like design of Acropolis' ACJ320neo is complete with a master bedroom and en suite bathroom, with the latter being the largest ever featured on an Airbus aircraft.