A UK charter airline is selling $10,000 seats for flights from London to Barbados on a massive Airbus private jet that requires a COVID-19 test

AirX Airbus A340 BIG

UK charter broker Caledonia Jets is selling seats onboard a massive Airbus A340 private jet flying between London and Barbados this summer.
The flights are operated by AirX, a European charter operator, on its largest jet that's aptly nicknamed BIG.
Round-trip tickets cost nearly $10,000 and passengers are required to submit to a COVID-19 test before boarding the luxurious plane.
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British airlines have largely stopped international long-haul flying due to the pandemic but that isn't stopping the wealthy from escaping to the Caribbean this summer.

One airline is bucking the flying trend by offering flights between London and Barbados on a VIP-configured Airbus A340 private jet complete with all-first class-style seating. Caledonia Jets is the broker behind the operation, with the aircraft itself coming from AirX, one of Europe's leading private jet charter operators.

Before passengers can board their luxury jet, however, they must submit to a COVID-19 and self-isolate in a hotel overnight prior to the flight, at their expense. According to the Caledonia Jets website, the test ensures that travelers don't have to worry about their flight mates potentially having the virus and help protects the local Barbados population, which has largely been spared from the pandemic.

Barbados is one of the most popular Caribbean destinations for British holidaymakers. Before the pandemic soured international travel, three airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and TUI Airways served Barbados via its capital city, Bridgetown, from cities across the UK.

Take a look onboard the ultra-luxurious aircraft, known as BIG.

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The Airbus A340-300 is the flagship of Malta-based AirX's charter fleet as its largest and most luxurious plane.

AirX's nickname for the jet is BIG, and for good reason. The A340-300 can seat 440 passengers in the standard airline configuration while AirX only seats up to 100, leaving bounds of open space.

Caledonia Jets, a UK charter broker, is selling the flights for the London-Barbados flights operated by BIG for £7,500 plus a £300 coronavirus test. That equals nearly $10,000.

Source: Caledonia Jets

The jets will fly weekly between London's Stansted Airport and Bridgetown's Grantley Adams International Airport, utilizing private terminals at both for maximum convenience. Passengers seeking a one-way journey need only pay £5000 plus the £300 coronavirus test, equaling around $6,500.

Source: Caledonia Jets

Before they can climb aboard the A340, however, passengers must take the test and self-isolate overnight at a hotel until they're cleared to fly.

Source: Caledonia Jets

Once onboard the aircraft, passengers will be greeted to the 100-seat first class cabin

Source: AirX

AirX took delivery of and refurbished the jet in 2016 after it flew for SriLankan Airlines for 13 years.

Source: Planespotters.net

The seats are configured in a 2-2-2 configuration, ideal for pairs traveling together.

Social distancing also isn't a concern with so few seats in the 165-foot jet compared to its normal configuration.

There's no WiFi on board but some seats have personal entertainment screens and AirX provides iPads with pre-loaded content.

The back of the plane also features a social area with two couches for those seeking a reprieve from their seats on the near-3,700-nautical mile flight.

The seats also recline into a bed, which comes in handy as flight times can exceed eight hours in each direction.

Standard amenities at each seat also include an adjustable headrest, coat hangar, and personal reading lamp, with AirX and Caledonia Jets providing hygiene kits including hand sanitizer, wipes, tissues, and a mask.

Source: Caledonia Jets

Eight cabin attendants service the guests with a mix of brunch, lunch, and tea time meals being served on the daytime flights between London and Bridgetown.

The luxury meals are served at each seat.

Then when it's to sleep during the transatlantic journey, the seats can be made into beds.

Caledonia Jets and AirX are the only airlines offering flights between London and Barbados until British Airways is scheduled to resume service in late-July.

The one downside to the service is that passengers returning to the UK will likely have to undergo a 14-day quarantine as a result of a recent order from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Source: Business Insider

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A UK charter airline is selling $10,000 seats for flights from London to Barbados on a massive Airbus private jet that requires a COVID-19 test – see inside

The Airbus A340-300 is the flagship of Malta-based AirX's charter fleet as its largest and most luxurious plane.

AirX's nickname for the jet is BIG, and for good reason. The A340-300 can seat 440 passengers in the standard airline configuration while AirX only seats up to 100, leaving bounds of open space.

Caledonia Jets, a UK charter broker, is selling the flights for the London-Barbados flights operated by BIG for £7,500 plus a £300 coronavirus test. That equals nearly $10,000.

The jets will fly weekly between London's Stansted Airport and Bridgetown's Grantley Adams International Airport, utilizing private terminals at both for maximum convenience. Passengers seeking a one-way journey need only pay £5000 plus the £300 coronavirus test, equaling around $6,500.

Before they can climb aboard the A340, however, passengers must take the test and self-isolate overnight at a hotel until they're cleared to fly.

Once onboard the aircraft, passengers will be greeted to the 100-seat first class cabin

AirX took delivery of and refurbished the jet in 2016 after it flew for SriLankan Airlines for 13 years.

The seats are configured in a 2-2-2 configuration, ideal for pairs traveling together.

Social distancing also isn't a concern with so few seats in the 165-foot jet compared to its normal configuration.

There's no WiFi on board but some seats have personal entertainment screens and AirX provides iPads with pre-loaded content.

The back of the plane also features a social area with two couches for those seeking a reprieve from their seats on the near-3,700-nautical mile flight.

The seats also recline into a bed, which comes in handy as flight times can exceed eight hours in each direction.

Standard amenities at each seat also include an adjustable headrest, coat hangar, and personal reading lamp, with AirX and Caledonia Jets providing hygiene kits including hand sanitizer, wipes, tissues, and a mask.

Eight cabin attendants service the guests with a mix of brunch, lunch, and tea time meals being served on the daytime flights between London and Bridgetown.

The luxury meals are served at each seat.

Then when it's to sleep during the transatlantic journey, the seats can be made into beds.

Caledonia Jets and AirX are the only airlines offering flights between London and Barbados until British Airways is scheduled to resume service in late-July.

The one downside to the service is that passengers returning to the UK will likely have to undergo a 14-day quarantine as a result of a recent order from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

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