There was a time when first-class train cabins were the pinnacle of travel. Along with luxury cruise accommodation, it was here were affluent explorers would take a ticket and ride, exploring countries and continents in the lap of luxury. Now that golden era of travel has been recreated in an Airbus ACJ319, thanks to some amazing craftsmanship by the Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC), in Toulouse, France. The bespoke outfitting division was hired by a company in Asia to design the cabin in an Art Deco-meets-Asia aesthetic – and the results are quite amazing.
“Our customer required the most complex interior, in terms of ergonomics and kinematics, that we have ever designed. To welcome his guests in the way that he wanted, we created five full-height individual private areas, including a private office, with ingenious storage spaces and hi-tech personal devices,” said creative design studio head Sylvain Mariat. “As far as I know, this is the first Airbus corporate jet with full-height private mini-suites that required their own specific certification,” he added.
Tradition meets speed on board the jet, which boasts space for up to 19 passengers and five individual mini-suites. Each has its own storages units and offer the privacy and comfort of a vintage train cabin, the likes of which you would see in a Sherlock Holmes movie or a period drama. The ACJC Creative Design Studio designed a wide and light main lounge, with an innovative parlour area for two passengers.
“Our customer wanted a zone of intimacy in this vast entourage area, so we conceived a compartment based on mid-height partitions, with a sliding door. It gives the feeling of sitting in an historic train travelling towards Asia,” added Mariat. The master bedroom is sure to equally impress, with an en suite bathroom, square shower, private office space, and a two-place sofa that can convert to a conversation nook, as well as two VIP seats partitioned by a low table. There’s also a crew rest area where off-duty staff can it easy
“Building on the deliveries of two previous Airbus corporate jets to customers in the Asia this year, this third success is the result of the Airbus Corporate Jet Centre’s expertise combined with its ability to propose a creative design that met the Asian client’s specific requirements,” said Joël Frugier, ACJC General Manager.
