The individuals who buy themselves A380s & 747s for their own personal use,surely it would make more sense...?

Question

Surely it would make more sense if they bought an Airbus A319CJ.

This would give the individual 6000nm in range (across the atlantic and back almost on one tank) and it would cost 'merely' $45 million for the jet and interior as opposed to $230 million for a 747-400 alone.

Answer 1

Its just a "mine is bigger than yours" thing, just like people buy expenisve and gas-guzzling SUV's when a smaller car would do just fine...

Answer 2

a private jet of that size is a status symbol. the more expensive, the more status it symbolizes, thus, the desirable it becomes

Answer 3

If you've got the money, why not?  The people who are that rich (like princes of certain countries) can buy anything they want and not have to worry about ever going broke.  

Answer 4

When you have lots and lots of money available you can buy pretty much anything you want.

Wouldn't you buy a 747 or a A380 if you were a billionaire? I know I certainly would, its mainly for status.

Answer 5

well, buying one for your own use makes no sense anyway so there is little point in trying to apply logic to it.

I have a car that costs £110K and i get ribbed for that, people saying "why do you spend so much on a pile of metal ?"

The answer is probably the same answer you would get from John Travolta and his 747..."because i can".

If you have what appears to be a limitless amount of money for a product, compared the $45M to $230M is pointless, it just does not enter the equation - a bit like me and cars (although on a much lesser level !! )

Answer 6

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who already owns a private 747, has ordered an A380 for personal transportation. Why does he want that much space? Because he does not travel alone, he has a suite that is similar to the one that follows the US president, and he brings all his family.

He can afford it.

And the money is not wasted: it ultimately goes to the workers at Boeing and Airbus who built those planes, doesn't it?

Answer 7

These flash barstewards are burning tonnes of fossil fuels, making it harder to breathe, all because they think they're special.

Answer 8

People buy these aircraft for status, not out of necessity, so the bigger and more expensive, the better.  And, unlike governments and corporations, they are unlikely to be influenced in their choice by bribes from aircraft manufacturers, as they already have all the money they could want.

Answer 9

This largest luxury jet - Airbus A380 belongs to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea FC owner and UK’s richest man. The price tag was around the $300 million, but it has been refitted and customized to his own personal specifications. It includes now three bedrooms, a lounge and dining area, a sauna and exercise bikes

Here in Toulouse we have 3 old test aircraft in the process of being re-wired and completely stripped for re-sale to customers.

It's a status thing and to own the first double decker aircraft, the largest passenger aircraft in the world would be the bees knees.