When you have £16 billion in the bank, a Cessna is simply not an option.
Instead, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud is about to take delivery of an Airbus A380, the world’s biggest private jet.
The same model is used by Singapore Airlines and Emirates and can fly 800 passengers 8,000 miles before refuelling. But the Saudi prince doesn’t need 800 seats, so he will have them removed to make room for an opulent, marble-finished Turkish bath and a parking space for his Rolls-Royce.
Flying palace: An artist's impression of what the £300million customised Superjumbo will look like and a few of the luxuries on board
The plane will even boast a dedicated prayer area, in which computer-generated mats move to point towards Mecca.
The Western-educated prince, 57, is known as the Warren Buffett of the Middle East because of his reputation as a shrewd investor. He also owns 7 per cent of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.
The new airliner joins Prince Alwaleed’s stable of private jets, including a modified Boeing 747 and an Airbus 321. He is also the proud owner of a 280ft super yacht, 5KR, formerly owned by Donald Trump, which featured in the Bond film, Never Say Never Again.
Business class: The plane's boardroom features a table which functions as a giant touch screen and (right) a white spiral staircase winds around the lift which travels three floors and also drops onto the tarmac to act as the prince's private entrance
The new jet, which has already been labelled the Flying Palace, will boast:
Night flight: The opulent jet will boast no fewer than four luxury suites as well as a prayer room with electronic mats that automatically turn to face mecca while (right) the stunning Wellbeing room for guests will feature a giant screen on the floor allowing them to see what they are flying over.
