The airplane concept with an ‘underwater’ cabin

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Private jet passengers could soon be able to travel through the air and “underwater” at the same time thanks to a unique new cabin concept.

Aircraft overhaul and maintenance specialist Lufthansa Technik has just unveiled renderings for a new cabin design for the Airbus Corporate Jet ACJ330 that allows those on board to “discover the world” while en route.

The “Explorer” cabin concept takes inspiration from explorer super yachts, which tend to be either purpose built, or converted, in order to ensure long-distance cruising to isolated areas of the world.

Designed to accommodate around 10 to 16 passengers, its primary purpose is to provide the most positive passenger experience possible to those on board, according to the German company.

Projection system

Aside from the classic elements typically found on private jets, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and even offices and dining areas, the “Explorer” design features a projection system that can cover the interior walls and ceilings with pretty much any type of setting those on board desire, including an underwater world.

While the finer details of the cabin concept are still being ironed out, the first renderings were displayed for potential buyers at this week’s Monaco Yacht Show, which runs from September 22 to 25, and received strong interest from the market, according to the team at Lufthansa Technik.

The final launch of the new cabin will take place at the 2021 Dubai Airshow in November.

Although the purpose of the design is merely to present the “technical and design possibilities” of the widebody cabin to customers, Lufthansa Technik say it would take between 18 to 24 months to fully design and complete this particular concept if a buyer were to order it directly from them.

The project comes as private jets continue to soar in popularity, with Florida-based private aviation company FlyEliteJets reporting a 150% rise in bookings since the start of the pandemic and global aviation company VistaJet logging a 65% increase in demand for global flight hours across its brands since last March.

And it’s not just private charter flights that are soaring — the number of private jet owners in the world is also rapidly increasing.

Last month, the International Aircraft Dealers Association reported a 52% increase in second-quarter sales, with members selling 320 pre-owned private jets in the second quarter of 2021, up from the 211 sold in the first three months of the year.

In fact, demand is so strong that there simply aren’t enough jets available for the market.

A July report by jet broker Colibri Aircraft indicated that just 4.7% of pre-owned private jets were currently up for sale, the lowest amount since the 1980s.

« Back to Page

• Air Canada Unveils Exciting Summer 2024 Travel Opportunities to Explore Europe and Asia

• Etihad Airways Achieves Strong Performance in March Serving 1.4 Million Passengers with 84% Load Factor

• Iron Travel Teams up with Euroairlines Group for New UK-Cuba Routes in May

• airBaltic and Tez Tour Latvia Boost Travel Options with Expanded Partnership to 12 Destinations

• Abu Dhabi to Al Qassim Trips Made Easier with Etihad Airways New Direct Flights