8억5천만달러 투자로 비행기내 침실의 혁신적 변화. 비행기인지? 최고급호텔인지? - 돈의힘.

38년전, 필리핀 Airlines이 상업용 항공기에 항공사상 처음으로 Bunk-Style의 "Sky beds"를 보잉 747, 당시로서는 초대형 항공기의 2층에 배치된 일등석을 개조하여 써비스하게됨을 공개 했었다.  그러나 항공사의 꿈은 오래 지속돼지 못했지만, 많은 항공사들은 더 많은 승객들을 좌석의 등급에 상관없이  운송하려는 생각을 수십년동안 계속해서 몰입해 왔다.  그러나 그러한 Concept도 다시 변하여, 좀더 개인적인 공간,그리고 고급화 시키기에 모든 역량을 경주하는 시류를 따르고 있다.

Singapore Airlines가 8억5천만 달러의 거금을 들여, 창공에 떠서 날으는 동안에 편안한 취침을 할수 있도록, 비행기의 내부를 개조하여 그내부를 공개한 것이다.  내용을 살펴본즉, 각방은 마치 고급호텔방과 비슷하며, 비지니스 클라스의 좌석은 펼쳐 놓으면 더블배드가 되도록 개조한 것이다.

이호화판 좌석판매는 벌써 시작됐다고 한다. 싱가폴과 호주의 Sydney까지의 왕복,침실같은 일등석은 미화 $6,600달러, 비즈니스 좌석은 $3,100달러로 모신다고한다. 싱가폴 항공에서 소유하고있는 19대의 A380대형 비행기의 내부 개조후 12월 18일 첫비행은 어떤 느낌을 줄까? 그리고 행운의 첫비행기의 첫번째 일등석 승객은? 억척 운좋은 행운아 일것 같다. Good luck.

물론 서민들에게는 그림의 떡이 되겠지만, 돈많은 사람들에게는 너무도 편하게 장시간 여행할수 있다는데 많은 호감을 얻을것 같다는 생각이다.  Singapore 항공의 내부장식을 취재했는데, 그림으로 보는 순간, 무척 부러웠다.  아래 기사를 읽으면서 사진을 보면 더 자세한 내용을 피부로 느낄수 있을것 같다.

(CNN) — It's been nearly 38 years since Philippine Airlines unveiled the first fully flat bed on a commercial jet in the shape of slim, bunk-style "Skybeds" on the first class upper deck of its Boeing 747. 

That luxury was short-lived, and airlines mostly spent the ensuing decades plotting ways to stuff more and more passengers onto their planes, no matter the class. 

Luckily trends change, and the past few years has seen a resurgence in airlines providing for personal space, privacy, and -- yes -- a quality rest. 

Singapore Airlines has now revealed the latest luxury sleeps in the sky, thanks to an investment of $850 million dollars in its aircraft interiors, bringing about "Suites" that look more like hotel rooms, and business class seats that convert to double beds.

 If this news triggers déjà vu, it's because the airline has been offering double beds in its highest class of service for a decade, beginning in 2007 with the arrival of the first Airbus A380 to enter commercial service. 

"Our original Suites were the first to offer double beds in the sky and they are still regarded as the ultimate in premium travel," Goh Choon Phong, chief executive at the carrier, said during the unveiling in Singapore of the latest designs. "Not only are we retaining that feature, but now the beds are even more plush and comfortable than before."

 There are six Suites at the front of the A380's upper deck, and each may be individually closed off from the aisle by sliding, half-height doors. 

Within, a passenger is equipped with a 76-inch-long bed separate from the seat, though the latter boasts a 270-degree swivel and 45-degree recline for dining (with Wedgwood china), getting work done (over high-speed, Inmarsat Global Xpress satellite Wi-Fi) and, or simply daydreaming out the windows before it's time for rest.

A 32-inch high-definition TV, Lalique amenity kit, leather-lined storage nooks, and a touchscreen control tablet for entertainment and lighting complete the experience.

 Despite the bells and whistles, the focus for the new Suites is overwhelmingly on providing quality time to the guest, hence the abundance of privacy. 

It's a consideration frequent business travelers such as Gary DeGregorio, an executive at global technology consultancy ThoughtWorks, can well appreciate. 

"Those traveling on business in C-level roles or in the fields of sales or consulting, need to be influencing the external and internal stakeholders constantly, so a very focused and positive state of mind is crucial," DeGregorio tells CNN Travel.

 "Rest and privacy are important during long flights as typically one does not have the luxury of time while traveling on business; privacy offers more control over the environment, the ability to prepare work more freely, and less psychological pressure in interaction."

The Singapore Airlines reveal also showcased entirely new business class seats, constructed of carbon fiber composite "similar to the kind of material you see used in Formula One race cars," noted Goh. 

Couples seated together are now also granted the ability to combine space and get cozy in a 78-inch-long double bed, thanks to retractable partitions and seats that recline to fully flat.

 By virtue of the small size of the country -- Singapore is 276 square miles, half the size of Los Angeles -- and with only one major international airport, it's plain to see why Singapore Airlines operates no domestic flights. 

The shortest route on its map is a 185-mile hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, and is often packed with passengers connecting to the Malaysian capital from other distant destinations. 

The airline even held the world record for longest commercial flight up to 2011, when it discontinued a 19-hour nonstop from Singapore to Newark that it plans to resurrect later in 2018. 

In other words, Singapore caters for travelers on gruelingly long and involved itineraries is a specialty of Singapore Airlines.

Similar can be said for the only other two airlines boasting of double beds onboard: Etihad Airways, which introduced the single-room First Class "Apartment" and three-room "The Residence" accommodations onboard their A380 aircraft in 2014; and Qatar Airways, whose "Qsuite" business class debuted this year on select Boeing 777-300ER routes from Doha to London, Paris, and New York.

Kinny Cheng, a frequent flier who has experienced both the Etihad First Class "Apartment" and Singapore's' previous Suites Class, tells CNN Travel that he didn't expect anything less from the latest reveal.

"To be fair, Singapore Airlines has had time to contemplate on how to make their product better than the competition," he says. "And the new Suites seem like improved, refined, and ergonomically adapted upgrades to the spacious, top-tier premium cabins already out there."

Flights in the new seats are already for sale, with Suites pricing from $6,600 and business class from $3,100 round-trip between Singapore and Sydney, the first route to have the fresh interiors with flight from December 18 on an initial total of 19 Singapore Airlines A380s.

http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/singapore-airlines-double-bed-suites/index.html