豪华飞机载着贵宾飞抵他们的目的地
Luxury jets whisk VIPs to their destinations in flying palaces
Miquel Ros, CNN ? Updated 21st October 2019
看来坐头等舱算不上奢华，私人飞机也不都是顶级奢华。
谷歌合成音频

(CNN) — A contemporary-style bedroom with a touch of classical elegance, complete with king-size bed and designer furniture, Champagne at the ready and magnificent panoramic views[1].
(CNN) — 兼具古典、优雅现代风格的卧室，配有特大号床和设计师家具，香槟随时供应，并且有极好的全景视野。


It could be a five-star hotel suite, but this is actually the cabin of an Airbus A330 VIP, nothing less than a full-on[2] $200 million flying palace.
它可能是一个五星级酒店套房，但这实际上是一架空客A330贵宾的座舱，相当于一个价值2亿美元的飞行宫殿。
This aircraft, outfitted by Comlux, a Swiss firm specializing in the design, outfitting[3] and operation of large corporate jets, represents the state of the art[4] when it comes to luxury aircraft cabin design.
这架飞机由Comlux公司改装，这家瑞士公司专门设计、改装和运营大型公务机，代表了豪华飞机机舱设计的最新水平。
The last couple of decades have seen a dramatic increase in the number of billionaires and multimillionaires worldwide, driving the demand for ever more luxurious ways to jet around the world[5].
在过去的几十年里，全球亿万富翁和千万富翁的数量急剧增加，这推动了人们对更奢华的环球飞行方式的需求。
While private jets come in all shapes and sizes, the ultimate status[6] statement is the VIP airliner.
虽然私人飞机有各种各样的形状和大小，但最有代表的是VIP客机。
A very special market
一个非常特殊的市场
To cater to this market, the major aircraft manufacturers have developed corporate versions[7] of their best-selling airliners[8].
为了迎合这个市场，主要的飞机制造商已经开发出他们最畅销的企业版客机。
Boeing has the Boeing Business Jet[9] (BBJ) family while its European rival has the Airbus Corporate Jet[10] (ACJ).
波音拥有波音商务机(BBJ)家族，而它的欧洲竞争对手拥有空客公司商务机(ACJ)。
Their product ranges includes specially configured variants of the popular Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, but the most deep-pocketed buyers[11] can also order larger models, such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 or the newest Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.
他们的产品范围包括特别配置的空客A320和波音737的，但最富有的买家也可以订购更大的型号，如波音747和空客A340，或最新的波音787和空客A350。
These firms have created specific departments to serve this very special clientele[12].
这些公司设立了专门的部门来服务这些特殊的顾客。
“It makes sense for companies like Airbus and Boeing to have a separate organization in order to cater to VIP clients.
“像空客和波音这样的公司成立一个独立的机构来迎合VIP客户是有道理的。
“This market is all about emotion. It is not unusual for a client to call you in the middle of the night to discuss this or that detail of his aircraft decor,” says Richard Gaona,
an industry veteran[13] who, after many years at the helm of[14] Airbus Corporate Jets, is now CEO of Comlux.
“这个市场非常需要照顾客户感受。客户半夜打电话给你，讨论他飞机装饰的这个或那个细节，这并不罕见，”行业资深人士理查德?高纳(Richard Gaona)表示。
There are currently some 300 converted VIP-configured airliners flying around the globe.
目前大约有300架改装过的vip配置客机在全球各地飞行。
Some of them belong to governments, who use them to fly heads of state and their entourages[15].
其中一些属于政府，政府用它们来运送国家元首及其随从。
Air Force One is probably the most famous, but other countries have their own presidential aircraft too.
空军一号可能是最著名的，但其他国家也有自己的总统专机。
Large corporations and ultra-rich individuals are also a market for this topflight[16] segment of private aviation.
大型企业和超级富豪也是这一高端私人航空领域的市场。
“Some of the people that fly in these large corporate jets may own already a smaller aircraft for their solo business trips, but may buy or rent a larger aircraft for when they travel with the family or a larger entourage,” adds Gaona.
“一些乘坐大型商务飞机的人可能已经拥有一架较小的飞机用于单独商务旅行，但当他们与家人或一大群随行人员一起旅行时，可能会购买或租赁一架较大的飞机，”Gaona补充道。
Luxury rental
奢侈品租赁
The individuals and corporations who own these craft may entrust[17] a company such as Comlux with the everyday crewing, maintenance and paperwork, but also with the mandate[18] to rent it out if the opportunity arises.
拥有这些飞机的个人和公司可以委托Comlux这样的公司进行日常的人员、维护和文件工作，但如果有机会，也可以把它租出去。
This allows them to make some extra money out of their very expensive aircraft whenever they’re not using them. It’s not unlike homeowners who temporarily rent out their own homes on Airbnb.
这使得他们可以在不使用飞机的时候从他们非常昂贵的飞机上赚一些额外的钱。这和房主在Airbnb上临时出租自己的房子没什么不同。
“We would get a request from anywhere in the world and then consult with the aircraft owner to get approval. Some aircraft owners are very protective of the privacy of their aircraft — they see it as an extension of their home — but there are other owners that welcome the chance to get an additional return[19] on their assets,” says Gaona.
“我们会收到来自世界各地的请求，然后与飞机所有者协商以达成协议。一些飞机所有者非常保护自己飞机的隐私——他们将其视为自己家的延伸——但也有其他所有者欢迎这个让他们的资产获得额外回报的机会，”Gaona表示。
Performance at all costs
不惜一切代价提高性能
Although they share the airframe[20] with commercial airliners, the market for very large corporate jets is driven by totally different considerations.
尽管它们与商用飞机是同样的机身，但大型商务飞机市场的经济驱动因素却完全不同。
Whereas an airline would look first of all at the economics of an aircraft and its operational efficiency[21], private clients tend to be more interested in raw performance[22].
航空公司会首先考虑飞机的经济效益和运营效率，而私人客户往往对原始性能更感兴趣。
The Boeing 767 BBJ outfitted by Comlux, for example, is able to carry up to 60 people in total comfort, and stay in the air for over 17 hours without refueling.
例如，由Comlux公司装备的波音767 BBJ飞机，在完全舒适的条件下最多可以搭载60人，在空中停留17个多小时不加油。
“For our clients it is range and capacity that matter,” says David Velupillai, head of marketing for Airbus Corporate Jets. “Heads of state, for example, value the capacity to travel to distant countries without being forced to stop over along the way.”
“对我们的客户来说，重要的是航程和运力，”空客公司商务机营销主管大卫?韦卢皮莱表示。“例如，国家元首们重视飞机具有飞往遥远国家而不必中途停留的能力。”
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/flying-palaces-vip-airliners/index.html
文化艺术
注释
[1] panoramic views
注释:全景
[2] full-on
注释:完全的
备注:全面的 完全的
[3] outfitting
注释:配备
备注:n. 码头舾装；舾装设备
v. 配备；供应（outfit的ing形式）
[4] the state of the art
注释:目前最高水准
[5] jet around the world
注释:坐飞机环游世界
[6] ultimate status
注释:顶级状态
[7] corporate versions
注释:企业版
[8] best-selling airliners
注释:最畅销的客机
[9] Boeing Business Jet
注释:波音商务客机
[10] Airbus Corporate Jet
注释:空客公务机
[11] deep-pocketed buyers
注释:财力雄厚的买家
[12] clientele
注释:客户 [?kli??n?tel]
备注:n. 客户；诉讼委托人
[13] industry veteran
注释:行业资深人士
[14] at the helm of
注释:掌舵
备注:掌握着
[15] entourages
注释:随行人员 [??nturɑ??]
备注:n. 随从；周围；环境
[16] topflight
注释:第一流的
备注:adj. 最好的，第一流的；最高级的
[17] entrust
注释:委托[?n?tr?st]
备注:vt. 委托，信托
[18] mandate
注释:授权[?m?nde?t]
备注:n. 授权；命令，指令；委托管理；受命进行的工作
vt. 授权；托管
[19] additional return
注释:额外的回报
备注:n. [劳经] 余额报酬
[20] airframe
注释:机身
[21] operational efficiency
注释:运营效率
备注:经营效率；运作效率
[22] raw performance
注释:原始性能