Ever wondered how big a 747 really is? Take a look at the picture above and you can see what happens when the seats are gone and the galleys are turned into a bar. What’s left is a sizable dance floor.
That information is courtesy of England’s Cotswold Airport, where British Airways parked several of its 747s at the beginning of the pandemic, and then decided to retire them. Cotswold Airport manager Suzanne Harvey asked for one, and BA sold it to them for £1.
Another £200,000 put a suitable pad under the plane, and £300,000 more did the interior work including rewiring the original lighting system and exposing the operating controls above the main deck as engineering-chic decor. The upper deck hasn’t been touched so far; plans are underway to turn it into a cinema, using the seatback screens.
There are limits, though: Toilet facilities, though, are on the ground; aircraft toilets can only be used in flight. And, since some systems are still operational, the cockpit is off limits.
Harvey says she’s getting lots of interested customers, including private events, corporate parties, and even movie shoots. Basic rental rate is £1000 an hour, and £12,000 gets you 24-hour access for a wedding.
