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  • 2 weeks ago
Inside.the.World's.Most.Luxurious.S02E01.Luxurious.Flights
Transcript
00:01For over a century...
00:02Ladies, young man.
00:03Good evening, Mr. Captain.
00:05Flights have been transporting millions of passengers across the globe.
00:11For the uber-rich...
00:12Half his wealth.
00:13...it's luxury all the way.
00:15This one's around £14 million.
00:18It is ultra-luxury private jet.
00:21Whether they're chartering a private plane...
00:25...or chopping through air in a SkyTaxi...
00:28You get to experience some of the finer things in life.
00:32We've got unprecedented access to first-class lounges...
00:36It's private, there is no one else around.
00:38...where the elite eat whatever their hearts desire.
00:41Cheers!
00:42Cheers!
00:43We meet the high-flyers who buy and sell private jets...
00:47The installation of an interior of this airplane could cost $60 million.
00:50...and get comfy...
00:52It's complete privacy...
00:54...in the world's most expensive commercial plane seat.
00:57The residence is pure luxury.
00:59For the ultra-wealthy...
01:01When that boost hits, it's...
01:03Whoa!
01:04...the sky and beyond...
01:07...is the limit.
01:08What a rush.
01:09For the rich and powerful, the efficiency and ease that a private jet offers is unparalleled.
01:22But these aren't just status symbols for the money rich and time poor.
01:27For Uber elite clients, a private jet is worth every penny.
01:32And with the global private jet market estimated at a staggering £30 billion...
01:38...buying and selling planes is very big business.
01:42In London's Park Lane, not only can the elite buy and sell premium property...
01:48...or shop nearby for exquisite jewellery and haute couture...
01:52...here, they can even buy their own planes.
01:55Yes, this is the only shop in the world where the rich can just walk in and buy a private jet.
02:05And the man doing the deals is aviation broker Steve Varsano.
02:10We buy and sell private jets, corporate jets around the world.
02:17We're based in London, but our main business is really 95% outside of the UK.
02:23And Steve's services are very much in demand.
02:26You have a transaction that's really in the midst of everything right now.
02:29You know, everybody asks me all the time, how many jets have I sold?
02:32And it's probably somewhere around $6 or $7 billion worth.
02:36No wonder he's smiling.
02:40And Steve offers his affluent clients a very bespoke exclusive service...
02:45...complete with the latest high-tech.
02:49A 12-metre-high interactive video wall offers Steve's clients a unique opportunity...
02:55...to look under the hood of prospective planes.
03:00The centrepiece of the showroom is a full-scale mock-up of a jet fuselage...
03:05...giving clients a chance to step inside before they fly.
03:10And as you can see, this is the outside of our Airbus.
03:13This is really the place where people say, wow.
03:16Wow indeed.
03:17This is not only a first for Park Lane, but the only thing like it in the world.
03:22So as people come in, they see the expansive size of the interior of this airplane.
03:26This is really the true size of having the VIP airline airplane.
03:31It's the top, top, top of the line.
03:33People driving by and say, what, I just saw an airplane in that window?
03:36So the shock value is what we're trying to achieve here.
03:39We hope that they come in out of their curiosity factor.
03:42The walk-in experience allows potential buyers to visualize and get up close and personal...
03:48...with their prospective new jets.
03:50Here you have a seating area with a couch.
03:53These chairs alone are probably $35,000 for the frame and another $10,000 or $15,000 for just the leather of the seats.
04:00But it's amazing how much it costs to actually get something like this engineered to put inside the airplane.
04:06It's really like an apartment.
04:09The installation of an interior of this airplane could cost around $40, $50, $60 million.
04:15And the whole plane would cost a cool 100 million pounds.
04:20We get to interact with our clients personally on a face-to-face basis.
04:24And you can get to understand what their needs are much better when you're talking to them face-to-face.
04:30Assisted by an experienced team of brokers with access to the world's most extensive aviation information library...
04:38...means Steve is armed with the very latest data.
04:44This is our Accra Trading Floor, equivalent to like a Wall Street stock market trading floor.
04:48This is where all our sales guys, research people are talking to every owner of every airplane in the super mid-size up.
04:55And we're trying to find out any of the airplanes that are for sale, about who's buying, who's selling.
05:00As soon as an available jet comes on the market, Steve's on it.
05:04Original paint and interior, it's serial 96.
05:083,000 hours, swift Wi-Fi. Yeah, I mean, it's talking about 17 million.
05:14And someone unlikely to flinch at a figure like that is Steve's friend and founder of Lux Aviation, George.
05:21George Galanopoulos is a major figure in the aviation industry.
05:26With a client list that includes celebrities and royalty, his company, Lux Aviation, is one of the largest private aircraft operators in the world.
05:37Today, he's come to see his friend Steve, as one of those high-profile names is in the market for their very own jet.
05:44Hey, George. Steve, how are you? Good to see you.
05:48Lovely seeing you again. Long time. Great to see you.
05:51How was your summer? It was great. How was business?
05:54Business is not better at all. Thank you. Thanks for your time.
05:57Good. I hope you have a good client for me. I hope so.
06:00Just who this super rich high flyer is, is for Steve's ears only. But what do they want to spend their millions on?
06:09A client is looking for a large cabin office, looking for an upgrade. He wants something larger, he can take more friends, his family is fairly large.
06:18So an airline-type jet is the right upgrade for you.
06:24George is Steve's ideal client, but he needs to get the most important question out of the way first.
06:30Approximately what kind of budget?
06:32I would say somewhere between 20 and 30 maximum.
06:35That's millions, of course.
06:37So you're really, really talking about a BBJ, Airbus, a Lineage 1000.
06:41That's a Boeing business jet, and one of the largest models from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.
06:48I just want to give you an idea of the scale of the airplane.
06:51This is your Lineage. It's pretty damn big. I mean, you can see, I'm six foot, 180 centimeters. It's pretty big.
06:58This is classified as an airline VIP airplane versus the Airbus and Boeing.
07:03With a range of aircraft down to two in the running, George now has to weigh up the Boeing business jet, the BBJ.
07:13With its large cabin volume and long range versus the Embraer Lineage 1000, which can operate from shorter runways, but balances comfort and luxury.
07:24This is a BBJ or Boeing business jet. It is much bigger than a Lineage, but the operating costs are significantly more.
07:32The BBJ, which would cost, based in Europe, about $13,000 an hour versus a Lineage, which is $1,000 less an hour.
07:42George, I think the best thing to do is actually go see a physical Lineage.
07:47Thank you, Steve.
07:48Pleasure. Thanks for coming over.
07:50Thanks, Steve.
07:51After a successful meeting, George now has a much clearer idea of what could potentially work for his client.
07:57So I think I'll follow his advice. I'll go and have a look at the Lineage. I had a tip of there is one that stands there, one that hasn't flown for a while, so you probably need a bit of work.
08:07But at least I can get a feel of the cabin size. I can relay that to the client and hopefully we can progress into the next stage.
08:16And that could mean a happy client for George, not to mention a hefty commission.
08:25For the world's elite, there's no classier way to travel than soaring through the skies on a private jet.
08:33And at the forefront of luxury flying, setting the gold standard is Lux Aviation.
08:40Today, Danish-born pilot Stefan Pedersen is preparing for a flight to France.
08:50We've got £10,500 on at the moment. We just need to refuel for our departure today.
08:55Typically, at this airline, a captain will have over ten years' experience on jets.
09:02So there's no leaks, the tyres look good.
09:04Yeah.
09:05And over 5,000 flying hours.
09:07Oh, it looks good.
09:08To ensure they earn their stripes.
09:13I'm the captain of the Bombardier Global 6000 that we own today.
09:18It is ultra-luxury, long-haul private jet.
09:24The Bombardier Global 6000 can reach speeds of more than 680 miles per hour, cutting journey times between long-haul destinations.
09:36Inside, the cabin is fitted with silk carpets, wood finishes and leather seating, designed to be reconfigured for work or rest.
09:46We can go non-stop from London to LA.
09:51We can pretty much reach anywhere in the world with one stop.
09:55It's a 13-passenger aircraft.
09:58We can also have it in a sleeping configuration with six beds.
10:03That includes a double bed that we have in the back.
10:06And for nervous flyers, there's another benefit to flying privately.
10:10We are operating above the airliners, so a lot of times we will reduce the chance of getting a slot.
10:19And it's very, very smooth up there, so we will go above the weather.
10:23So there's going to be less turbulence and just basically have a very smooth flight.
10:29Cabin crew manager Caroline, who's been flying for over 20 years, is responsible for ensuring each flight is tailored to the needs of the passengers on board.
10:40My role involves shopping for the food, finding exclusive restaurants, basically whatever the passengers want, just that personal touch.
10:50A lot of people that we fly are businessmen and they have very stressful jobs.
10:53So it's nice for them to come on board and just have complete relaxation.
10:59We have profiles on the passengers.
11:02The passenger that we're flying today, he loves Vietnamese salad.
11:05So we've got Vietnamese salad for him and his favourite champagne on board.
11:09Well, this is a very short flight, so it will be canapes onboarding.
11:13If it was a longer flight, it's up to the passengers.
11:16If it's a night flight, they may want to eat before they sleep or they can just eat whenever they want.
11:20When he's not busy procuring planes for his esteemed clients, CEO of Lux Aviation, George, charters luxury private jets.
11:31Today's all about fun, though. George is heading to Paris for lunch with friends, including Andrea.
11:38Can we have a little bit of champagne, please?
11:40Who is a caviar supplier.
11:42I have caviar for breakfast most days, as you know.
11:45Really?
11:46Yeah, every other day at least.
11:47Let's do it, let's do it.
11:48Visual size of bread, butter and caviar.
11:51And cognac connoisseur, Johan.
11:55And with the boss on board, the client services team have pulled out all the stops.
12:01Thank you, thanks a lot.
12:03Cheers.
12:05Cheers.
12:07Vintage Dom Perignon, at 200 pounds a bottle, is served chilled to the optimum 8 degrees.
12:12And if that vintage doesn't wet the whistle, there's plenty more to choose from.
12:20The pièce de résistance will be when they land in Paris.
12:24For those whose budgets don't stretch to buying their own plane, but they have a big garden, and an even bigger wallet, these sky taxis can land in places a jet never could.
12:46We can pick you up in your back guard and take you anywhere you want.
12:52At the end of the day, helicopters are the way to travel, because it's pure convenience.
12:56One of the leading names in private helicopter charters is Castle Air.
13:02With one of the largest fleets of luxury helicopters in the world, they offer a luxury door-to-door service for those who can afford it.
13:10Operations manager Declan is the man on the ground, keeping his clients happy.
13:14We do get to see a really unusual side of the world. The people that we're dealing with have lots of wealth, and these people, they don't like the word no.
13:26And no request is too small.
13:29We've delivered birthday cakes to people, nobody else on board, and then landing at a private estate just because I think somebody probably forgot that it was their son's birthday.
13:39First world problems.
13:41Pilot Tom is also used to unusual requests.
13:46Castle hunting in Scotland, flying a client all around Scotland, hopping from castle to castle, that is for sale.
13:54Essentially last week I was delivering a pizza to a billionaire's house.
13:58You know, sometimes you are sat there and you think, this is not normal, and the average person has no clue this is going on.
14:05With 30 helicopters across their fleet, their most luxurious, the AW139, dubbed the chopper for billionaires, has an interior crafted to mirror the sophistication of a private jet.
14:19They are very expensive machines. This one particular, I think, is around £14 million. So yeah, they're not cheap pieces of kit. I believe the gearbox is about £800,000.
14:31For those at the top end of society, convenience is often valued above cost. Capable of reaching speeds of over 190 miles per hour, this is the aircraft of choice for the money rich, time poor.
14:44This is a five-plated machine. It's super stable, super quiet and super smooth. We can go up to, you know, 300 miles, which is approximately to Edinburgh.
14:54It's got fantastic legs that you could, you could probably get this down to Geneva, realistically.
15:00And when you're chauffeuring the world's most important people, client safety is paramount.
15:06So before every flight, engineer Surya conducts rigorous safety checks.
15:12We generally check for any leaks that may be coming from anywhere. We do check the compressor blades for any erosion or any nicks or anything, anything that's abnormal.
15:21There's a whole team of engineers here, ops team, ramp staff. As cliche as it sounds, it really is all about teamwork.
15:30It's really important that we do the pre-flight check of an aircraft because in case of something goes wrong, it's catastrophic.
15:36If you're in a car, you have something wrong, you can just stop by the side. But on an aircraft, you can't do that. You just fall down straight away.
15:42So it's really important that we do checks properly so that it's safe for flight, every flight.
15:49Here I'm just checking all the oil levels of the hydraulics, I mean gearbox and all that. Just a general. Any leaks.
15:57Yeah, it's looking really good here. I've done all the checks now, it's all ready to go now. It looks all good. And I'm happy to say that this aircraft is safe for flight.
16:11Today, the team have flown to Kent to pick up wealthy entrepreneur Charlie, whose family business is managing media space in private jet terminals.
16:21He's taking a £6,000 flight to just west of London for a spot of clay pigeon shooting. You know, as you do.
16:30Getting there, usually about two hours from where we are now. But because of this 139 behind me, I'll get there in about 20 minutes, which is a no brainer if you're into efficiency and you're busy like I am.
16:39Morning, sir. Morning. Welcome aboard. Thank you very much. Morning, sir. Morning.
16:44And with time of the essence, regular customer Charlie wastes no time in climbing aboard.
16:49Flight time? About 20, 25 minutes. Perfect.
16:51Weather's perfect, so you'll have a great view. Fantastic. And a great flight. Thank you very much.
16:56Thank you very much.
17:02Cutting through the UK's most congested airspace at less than 2,000 feet, the clock is ticking, as being late is not an option for Charlie.
17:11Lux Aviation CEO George Galanopoulos and his friends are flying to Paris for lunch. Ooh la la.
17:27We actually tailor-made every single trip to what the client wants.
17:31They're on board a Bombardier Global 6000, an aircraft well-suited for heads of state due to its long-range, high-speed capabilities and versatile cabin design.
17:43And there's no need for a public address system here, as guests get the personal touch when it comes to safety briefings.
17:50Welcome on board. My name is Stefan Pedersen. I'm your captain today. Just a quick safety brief for you.
17:55If you get ready seatbelts for takeoff and landing space, please. In case of a decompression, you've got oxygen from above.
18:00Life checkers underneath your seat. You also have a safety card on your side there.
18:05Otherwise, it's a 45 minutes flight, so enjoy.
18:08Looking forward.
18:10Quick flight, 45 minutes.
18:12Very quick flight.
18:14Here we come.
18:17Lux Aviation 2-3 Golf, a request start and clearance for Paris Lippelship.
18:25As the jet takes off, the champagne continues to flow.
18:35Cheers, guys.
18:36Cheers.
18:37Cheers to us.
18:38Health is well.
18:40The turnaround is fast. Within 15 minutes of arriving at the plane, guests can be airborne, canapes already in hand.
18:47We have a beetroot gravlax with gold leaf, caviar and quail's egg, goat's cheese and beetroot tart.
18:55Oh, yeah. This is amazing. I love this. Incredible.
18:59Mm-hmm.
19:02As well as the speed and privacy of the flight, the client services team have arranged a 350-pound bottle of Lepoc Cognac, aged in limousin oak barrels.
19:13Guys, we're having some very, very, very special cognac here. If I'm not wrong, inside a bottle, combined age of 50 years old, right?
19:21Exactly.
19:22Incredible.
19:23Welcome to Paris.
19:24Welcome to Paris.
19:25Cheers.
19:27Cabin manager Caroline is one step ahead of the game, setting up for the caviar tasting.
19:33Andreas brought along a sought-after alternative to Beluga.
19:37Osietra caviar is amusing these bouches for a mere 160 pounds for a four-person serving.
19:48Cheers.
19:49Cheers.
19:50Enjoy.
19:51Cheers.
19:53Lovely.
19:55Oh, yes.
19:56Wow.
19:58The best thing about travelling like this, private, we get our favourite champagne.
20:01Dom Perignon Salon Ruinard.
20:03We get caviar.
20:04Of course, Zagatti caviar, some Beluga, some Osietra, canapes, whatever we choose.
20:10We like to travel like this, you know?
20:12It's nicer, it's fast, it's quick, we get to enjoy.
20:15Maybe smoke some cigars on the way, eat some caviar, and as soon as we land, we have a whole crew waiting for us, so we can't wait for that.
20:23With clearance to land just 45 minutes after take-off, the group is in Paris.
20:29And with the luxury of no queues for passport control, these bon viveurs can head straight out of the terminal and into their favourite restaurant.
20:40And what better way to celebrate being in Paris than with the decadent trifecta of brandy, caviar and cigars.
20:56And with a jet on standby, the friends can spend the afternoon taking their time enjoying life's finer things, safe in the knowledge that they can hop back on board at their leisure.
21:09For a select few who can afford it, when they board a commercial flight, turning left rather than right is the only way to travel.
21:23And with live flat airline seats being a game-changer, long-haul flights have never been so comfortable.
21:30Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, this is the captain, my name is Oscar, and with me is Senior First Officer Obeit, and we'll be flying you to Abu Dhabi today.
21:39On board one of the world's most luxurious commercial airlines, Etihad's flight EY-68, pre-flight checks are underway.
21:53The pilot in command is Captain Oscar.
21:56Flight time today is scheduled for six hours, twenty minutes.
22:01It's a pleasure having you on board today with us.
22:03For now I'll leave you with our excellent cabin crew. I hope you can relax and enjoy the flight.
22:10First class cabin crew Emma is preparing the cabin for a busy flight.
22:17But there's a secret world only available to the super rich that even surpasses first class.
22:23The residence is the most expensive airline seat in the sky.
22:30If I had to describe the residence experience with one word, indulgent.
22:36Only available as an upgrade from first class, this return flight from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi could cost over £7,000.
22:45Passengers here can even enjoy a luxurious night's sleep in their fully enclosed bedroom.
22:51A level of privacy hitherto unseen in the skies.
22:58Here, wealthy passengers can recline in their own spacious lounge.
23:03Complete with double sofa, upholstered in the finest Italian poltrona frau leather.
23:09Prized for its softness and durability.
23:11It is the brand that supplies interiors for Ferrari and Maserati.
23:17The residence is pure luxury.
23:19There's not many ways that you can travel via air where you have your own private space.
23:23With an impressive 32-inch flat-screen TV, there's no more squinting at the back of a headrest.
23:31And to guarantee elite passengers step off the plane refreshed from their flight, they can even shower at 40,000 feet in their own personal bathroom.
23:41As it's a night flight, Emma's ensuring the suite is immaculate.
23:48She's now preparing the private bedroom with its 400 thread count cotton sateen bed sheets.
23:53Now we're in the bedroom. You'll see the double bed prepared.
23:59My trick is to make sure the bed is perfectly made without any creases.
24:04As you can see, it's complete privacy.
24:06When you're inside and the door is closed, you really don't feel like you're on an aircraft at all.
24:10If you'd like to get plenty of rest on the flight, I will come and prepare turndown service for you and agree on a wake-up time before arrival.
24:17I can even serve you breakfast in bed.
24:20For one lucky passenger about to board, the best seat in the sky awaits.
24:33With a scheduled flight due to depart soon to Abu Dhabi, the crew are busy preparing the plane for boarding.
24:41Flight time today is 6 hours 20 minutes and we'll be flying at 37,000 feet in Italy and later on we go up to 41,000.
24:51With guest boarding any moment, first class cabin crew Emma needs to start popping some serious corks.
24:57The first thing we offer is a welcome beverage that can have a glass of champagne.
25:00On ice today is a vintage 2016 Bilka Saman, a 100% Grand Cru signifying the highest quality and purest origin of the grapes.
25:12We spend time acquainting with the guests, finding out any special requests.
25:18We then offer our signature Gawa service, which is a traditional Arabic coffee service.
25:23And as it is a flight to the United Arab Emirates, the traditional Arabic coffee, Gawa, is drunk from delicate porcelain cups called finjan.
25:35The Gawa service, the coffee must be extremely hot. It's also flavoured with cardamom, saffron and rose water.
25:42Emma's preparing some speciality dishes for today's guests, including a special request.
25:52For our a la carte lunch or dinner selection, we always start with our signature Russian et cetera caviar service.
25:59This is a real standout point for our guests and always a top favourite.
26:03At 42 pounds an ounce, the caviar is sourced from renowned farms in Italy, Iran and Azerbaijan.
26:12It's very important when you're serving the caviar that you always use a mother of pearl spoon to decan the caviar.
26:18If you use a metal spoon or a stainless steel spoon to decan the caviar, it gives the oxidisation to caviar, which gives it a metallic taste.
26:27These are absolutely the small attentions to detail that we really have to focus on.
26:30As much preparation as possible is required because there are a lot of individual components that go into each specific dish.
26:39So preparation and small details really make a huge difference.
26:47A filet mignon like this would normally be found in one of London's finest steakhouses.
26:53Yet here, it's prepared on board and cooked precisely to the guest's preference.
26:58We're always provided with plenty of quantities, but maybe a guest might have a very individual or specific request.
27:08And at the end of the day, we are 40,000 feet in the air, so it's not like we can just go and pop to the supermarket and grab some produce.
27:15We just have to use our resources, be thoughtful and creative and see what we can provide in this small galley.
27:22Steak medium, job well done.
27:26Just Emma's colleague, area manager Chris, to impress now.
27:30Is there anything else that you feel that needs to be done or are you all pretty good?
27:34I've done some final checks from my side. I can see the cleaning team have done a fantastic job today.
27:39They were very efficient and all of our standard loading and bedding is ready to go.
27:44Excellent, looks really good. I'm happy. If you're happy, I think we're ready for boarding.
27:52With clearance for take-off, one passenger basking in the lap of luxury can rest easy knowing they've got the best seat in the sky.
28:00Accessing areas other airlines can't, luxury helicopter charter company Castle Air are preparing to fly their £14 million AW139 to Kent,
28:16on which their client can enjoy being in the lap of luxury.
28:19A keen clay vision shooter, entrepreneur Charlie, has charted a flight to an upmarket shooting ground just west of London,
28:30where he'll collect some brand new top-of-the-range gear.
28:33I mean, this is, as you can all see, a very comfortable ride. It's far better than sitting on the M25 in traffic in a very small car.
28:41So yeah, this is definitely luxury.
28:43With a flight like this, usually costing around £6,000 return, for Charlie, the efficiency it offers is worth every penny.
28:52And while on board, Charlie won't miss a crucial moment of business.
28:57The beauty of being in a helicopter is you actually do have cell service, mobile network anyway, so you can just work whilst you're travelling.
29:05So it really increases the efficiency of what I'm trying to do and where I'm trying to go,
29:09and also everything I need to do whilst I'm on board.
29:11And even on those long journeys, it's ultra quiet.
29:16So quiet, in fact, that unlike most helicopters, there's no need for a headset.
29:22The best part about this helicopter is you can always have a drink when on board.
29:30And it means I can have a glass of something nice and fizzy, or the canapes which they provide as well.
29:36You get to experience some of the finer things in life when you get to fly a helicopter.
29:42It makes for a far more enjoyable experience.
29:47Where else can you fly over London, have canapes and drink sparkling wine?
29:50Where else indeed?
29:53We have arrived.
29:55Having covered over 50 miles in just 20 minutes in an arrival that's hard to miss,
29:59Charlie touches down at the exclusive 120-acre shooting ground where he'll get to collect his latest acquisition, which has an eye-watering price tag.
30:13While most airlines offer travel to exciting destinations across the globe, for the ultra wealthy who've seen it all before, there's little left to excite them.
30:32But there is one company offering trips that are quite simply out of this world.
30:46From their base in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic brings the future into the present.
30:51With a truly unique experience that up until 2023, money simply couldn't buy.
30:59A flight to the very edge of space.
31:03The state-of-the-art space jet VSS Unity, which is launched from the air by its mothership, travels at three times the speed of sound and ten times the height of a commercial airliner.
31:15For £450,000, passengers can travel to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, turning millionaires, billionaires and even Olympians into space tourists.
31:30For Birmingham-born advertising executive Trevor, space travel has been a lifelong ambition.
31:36From the age of 12 on, the only thing they ever really wanted to do was go to space.
31:40I've always been inspired by space travel. I didn't want to be George Best at school, I wanted to be Gus Aldrin.
31:47But it was only in 2004 that his dreams could become a reality, when Richard Branson and a top team of engineers won the Ansari X Prize by building a reusable spacecraft.
31:59The winning technology used a dual fuselage plane to transport the rocket to 50,000 feet before separating and launching itself to the edge of the atmosphere.
32:12I butted my way into the X Prize launch and said, when you win it, I'll become your first customer. They won it and I said, where do I sign? Here's all my money.
32:26Unfortunately for Trevor, after making his down payment, it would be almost two decades before the technology had evolved far enough to fly actual passengers.
32:36I don't think there's ever been a bigger gap between someone buying a ticket for an event and then experiencing the event, because mine was an 18 year wait.
32:47But in 2024, Trevor's lifelong wish finally came true.
32:52It's the most incredible experience of my life.
32:54Fewer than 700 people have ever been into space.
32:59It's one of the most exclusive experiences.
33:03And only the supremely wealthy can afford it.
33:08Sharing Trevor's passion for space travel is London-based investment banker, Giorgio,
33:14who managed to bag himself a seat on the seventh passenger flight.
33:18I was lucky enough to fly with the Galactic 7. I was highly passionate about it. And many years later, the dream came true.
33:26Unlike passengers on a commercial flight, those flying on Virgin Galactic must undergo intensive specialist training.
33:34So included in the price is a three-day training course at their futuristic spaceport in New Mexico.
33:41And for Giorgio and Trevor, they experience their very own Space Odyssey adventure.
33:46These two budding spacemen are lucky enough to share the rarest of commonalities, having boldly gone where only a privileged few have gone before.
33:57Such a pleasure to meet you, obviously, and a fellow astronaut. There's so few of us. What inspired you to do this?
34:04It's the only thing we've ever wanted to do, really, go to space.
34:09And then when Galactic came along, it was at last a chance of it being a reality.
34:14On the day of each of their flights, the VSS Unity was attached to the 140-foot-wide mothership and transported up to 50,000 feet before it was launched.
34:27You get those two instructions. You get release, release, release, and then fire, fire. When that boost hits...
34:34It's crazy. It's nothing to supersonic in three seconds. It's whoa.
34:38Yeah.
34:39Three, two, one. Release, release, release.
34:43Fire. Fire.
34:44Fire.
34:46The rocket starts, and you're basically glued back to your chair, where we go Mach 3 until we reach space.
34:54You're traveling at three times the speed of sound, vertically, with a long G-force on your body.
35:01Reaching speeds of 2,500 miles per hour,
35:05Virgin Galactic is propelled to almost 300,000 feet above ground,
35:10right on the boundary of the Earth's atmosphere with space.
35:16What a rush. Yeah.
35:18And then they finally experience the unique moment
35:21that they will regale at dinner parties ad infinitum.
35:26Zero gravity.
35:27You go from supersonic to basically to floating.
35:31It's crazy.
35:33We had decided with our fellow travelers
35:35to basically do a virtual hug in zero gravity.
35:38So we trained for that, we practiced that,
35:40and we did that as soon as we could unstrap.
35:43When you release from your seat,
35:46there's such a rush of adrenaline and emotion and everything.
35:50And then to finally look out and see that.
35:54I felt a weird kind of homesickness straight away.
35:59Straight away.
36:02From their lofty height sub-orbiting the Earth,
36:05they had a life-affirming moment
36:07that only a privileged few will ever experience.
36:12And the brightness.
36:13Yeah, it's so bright.
36:14The brightness of it.
36:16It actually looked like there was a light within the Earth.
36:18The light was coming out as opposed to bouncing off.
36:20I totally agree.
36:21That was one of the things that mesmerized me the most,
36:24how blue it was.
36:26Yes, yes.
36:27It was an absolute sensory overload.
36:31After weeks of preparation,
36:34the time spent in zero gravity was short, but sweet.
36:38I think we were weightless for about between five and seven minutes,
36:42unstrapped for three.
36:46I can't tell you how tough it was to sit down on a chair without gravity.
36:50And then basically, all the way back, we were just falling to Earth.
36:55As well as an unforgettable experience,
36:58Dorgio also got one other keepsake.
37:01I got a little treat that I have to show you.
37:04So an engineer came up to me and he said,
37:06you know, I might be able to get you a little souvenir from space.
37:09And so we went with a knife at the back of Unity
37:12and we scraped off from the Fruchelaz a little piece of debris.
37:16And, you know, the guys were kind enough to put it in this box.
37:20This is...
37:20Forged in space.
37:22Wow.
37:23Pretty crazy, huh?
37:24That's a piece of Unity.
37:27So, yeah, it's my kryptonite.
37:29Exactly, I love that.
37:30That's beautiful.
37:31That's beautiful.
37:34It was far more emotional and experienced than I expected it to be.
37:38Ah, totally.
37:40How I think about life is so different now.
37:42Yes, I agree with that.
37:43I don't sweat the small stuff anymore.
37:45I don't care about the small stuff.
37:50Having returned to Earth after their transformative experience,
37:54Dorgio and Trevor are now members of an elite club
37:57and the envy of millions.
38:01It's an almost intangible thing.
38:03It's not an object.
38:05But it's with me forever.
38:07Back from his jolly jaunt to Paris...
38:24Lax Aviation's CEO, George Galanopoulos, is now a man on a mission.
38:31He's seeking a business jet for a high-net-worth client
38:34in a deal that could be worth some big bucks.
38:38He's come to view an Embraer Lineage 1000,
38:41one of the jets recommended to him by his friend and broker, Steve.
38:45He's found one nearby.
38:48Parked up at InFlight, the jet centre,
38:50a fixed-base operator, or FBO,
38:53who provides services for private aviation.
38:56Pauline is the CEO.
38:59Here we deal with everyone from celebrities, royalty,
39:04high-profile football teams,
39:06or high-net-worth individuals
39:08just going on a weekend away with their family.
39:11Well, we'd love a tour, Pauline.
39:13Welcome to our reception.
39:16When you arrive, this would be where you would come into.
39:19The nice thing is, it's nice and big,
39:21it's airy, it's private.
39:23There is no-one else around.
39:25This is for your flights.
39:27You would come up, and you would be greeted
39:29and looked after by our customer service representative.
39:34This lounge is designed to be VVIP,
39:38but for all types of people wishing to use it.
39:41It's got its own bar area, has its own kitchen.
39:43You would come in, and whatever your requirements are,
39:46we would cater for.
39:47The whole idea of coming through somewhere like in-flight
39:52is the exclusivity, the calming environment,
39:56but at the same time giving it the ultimate luxury
39:59that these passengers expect.
40:02George is coming today.
40:04He's coming because he has a high-net-worth individual
40:07looking to purchase an aircraft of this size.
40:09Not just any aircraft.
40:12It's one of the most luxurious jets that money can buy.
40:15An ultra-large, ultra-long-range business jet
40:18that can seat 19 passengers.
40:22Retailing at £40 million new,
40:24it comes with a customisable five-zone cabin
40:27with its clearly defined spaces,
40:31including lounge, office, and a bedroom.
40:34It's no wonder it's referred to as a flying apartment.
40:41Only the best will do for George's client,
40:44and his feedback could mean the difference
40:47between making a sail or not.
40:49I love the sitting area in this place.
40:54The moment you go in, you've got an open space
40:56like that going straight into a galley.
40:58That's great, and it's unique.
41:02That's the front sitting area.
41:05Six passenger seats.
41:07The jet's interior is lined with cream leather
41:10and polished wood accents,
41:12a combination that still looks pristine.
41:15For an older aircraft, very good condition.
41:19That's actually a 15-year-old aircraft,
41:21but has been used very little.
41:24For the chill-out area here, TV.
41:26Of course, you get Wi-Fi throughout.
41:29It's got plenty of space.
41:32Very impressed.
41:35The desk.
41:37Again, pretty unique feature.
41:40Even for a large cabin aircraft,
41:42on a six, seven-hour flight,
41:43you can probably work quite comfortably here.
41:45And this jet's USP is its bedroom.
41:50Double bed
41:50and a dressing table.
41:55Right.
41:56Let's give this a go.
41:58Whoa.
41:59I think I can quite happily spend eight hours here.
42:02And there's not just one bathroom,
42:09but two.
42:10Full stand-up shower.
42:12And a three-bathroom.
42:15It's pretty impressive.
42:16I'm very pleasantly surprised
42:23about the condition of the aircraft.
42:25It's very spacious
42:26and it's more or less meets the client's requirements.
42:31I think I might give him a call,
42:33brief him,
42:34and then hopefully we can take it to the next stage.
42:36With George giving it his seal of approval,
42:38it looks like there could be a future deal on the horizon.
42:43This aircraft is $52 million new.
42:48I think we can probably get that at the low 20s.
42:52I think you're getting pretty good value for money.
42:55Sounds like you may have a deal, George.
43:01Entrepreneur Charlie
43:02has flown from his home in Kent
43:04to west of London,
43:06where he's going to indulge
43:07in an afternoon of some gentleman's pursuits.
43:10He's flown in on Castle Eyre's flagship chopper,
43:13the AW139.
43:16So we've probably got a lot of people watching.
43:18And they say it's the best way by far
43:20to get from A to B
43:22and upset a load of people.
43:25When he's not upsetting the locals,
43:29he's luxuriating in comfort.
43:32Enjoying a cabin fitted
43:33with the highest quality leather seating
43:35and a mahogany coffee table,
43:38an unusual feature in a helicopter.
43:41You can stretch your legs out,
43:43you can watch telly in the middle,
43:44you can put your newspaper on the side
43:46and you're not intermingling
43:48with any other passengers.
43:49You're just there by yourself.
43:51It's super luxurious.
43:52You know, there's no beating it, really.
43:54It's as close as you're going to get
43:56to really jet level in a helicopter.
44:04Welcome to Holland, sir.
44:05Thank you very much.
44:07Mr Roll.
44:08Hello, hello.
44:09Very good to see you again, sir.
44:10How are you?
44:10Yeah, very well.
44:11Nice to see you.
44:12Good to see you again, sir.
44:13Likewise.
44:13Nice to see you.
44:13Today is the day.
44:14First things first,
44:16Charlie is here to collect his new pride and joy
44:19from a quintessentially British company
44:21who supply the upper echelons of society
44:23from royal families to heads of state.
44:27Hello, hello.
44:28Mr Roll, so good to see you again.
44:29How are you?
44:30Very well, thank you.
44:31To enthusiasts,
44:33the craftsmanship is a work of art.
44:36The day has finally come.
44:38Yes.
44:38I hope two years was well worth the wait.
44:41I'm delighted to present you
44:43with your pair of royal side-by-sides.
44:46Wow.
44:47It's incredible.
44:48It's so nicely balanced as well.
44:50Absolutely identical as well.
44:51I'm over the moon.
44:52Thank you very much.
44:53Fantastic.
44:53Well, I'm glad that we managed
44:54to meet your expectations.
44:56I think you surpassed them.
44:57So remind me,
44:58two years ago,
44:59I forget how much I paid for these guns.
45:01But the total is £340,000.
45:04Well worth every single penny,
45:06I would say.
45:07Let's hope he shoots straight.
45:09Let's hope.
45:10After investing more than the cost
45:12of an average UK home
45:13in his new piece of kit,
45:15Charlie is finally able
45:16to put his new craftsmanship
45:18to the test on some clay pigeons.
45:20Fantastic.
45:21Yes.
45:23Brilliant, Charlie.
45:24Very well shot.
45:25And hope they'll just go and serve you well.
45:27Thank you very much.
45:27See you soon.
45:28Cheers.
45:29Job done.
45:30It's back in the air
45:31with champagne and canapes
45:33and home in time
45:34for Come Dine With Me.
45:35Lovely.
45:36I mean,
45:37for £6,000 to get to here and back,
45:39it goes without saying,
45:40considering spending,
45:41what, £340,000 on a pair of guns,
45:43I mean,
45:44it's a drop in the ocean
45:44when it comes to it
45:45in comparison.
45:46So, yeah,
45:47it is definitely
45:48the best way to travel
45:49and I would argue
45:50slightly affordable as well.
45:52If you say so, Charlie.
45:53Thank you so much.
46:06Transcription by CastingWords
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