Air France La Première www.airfrance.co.uk

Looking for a culinary journey? Prepare to devour the delights of Air France’s flight accommodation. For one, Air France offers travellers three and a half metres of private space in La Première. It also combines technology with craftsmanship to deliver a truly first-class flying experience. Every detail has comfort in mind, equipping each suite with two 32-inch screens and more than 1,500 hours of entertainment. Stretch out in a leather armchair or chaise longue, then convert it effortlessly into a full-size bed when you’re ready to sleep. La Première has earned particular acclaim for its culinary expertise. Skytrax, the air transport industry’s leading rating agency, named it the best in the world for in-flight dining. Savour world-class menus created by Michelin-starred chefs, enjoy fine wines selected by a leading sommelier, and sample cocktails crafted by a world-famous mixologist — all of which transform your journey into a true feast for the senses.

Cathay Pacific Aria Suite www.cathaypacific.com

Another on our airline suites to bed down in, as well as its world-class service and amenities, is this Hong Kong-based five star experience. Renowned for top tier service throughout, when the Aira Suite was introduced to their Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts in 2024, flying Business Class was transformed forever. For one, it boasts a flat-bed and sleek wrap-around spaces. Next, make yourself at home with cleverly designed storage, customisable lighting and 24″ 4k ultra high definition screens. And when you fancy a bit of culture? There’s the all-new Gallery in the Skies, which exhibits a carefully curated selection of artworks from influential Hong Kong artists.

Emirates A380 Private Suite www.emirates.com

Emirates’ Private Suite delivers all the comfort of a five-star hotel. The airline showcases flawless facilities — including an onboard Shower Spa that lets you refresh above the clouds — so travellers who crave privacy, a comfortable bed, and a cocktail while travelling from A to B will never feel disappointed. Floor-to-ceiling doors enclose your personal space, and your seat converts effortlessly into a fully flat bed. Sip a glass of Champagne in the Onboard Lounge, or unwind in your suite while choosing from more than 6,500 TV and film channels. The extensive wine list rivals that of fine dining establishments, and the chefs craft dishes worthy of the world’s finest restaurants. Emirates also elevates the experience with impressive take-home touches. Enjoy Bowers & Wilkins E2 headphones, super-soft loungewear, and a covetable Bvlgari amenity kit — and touch down feeling thoroughly spoilt.

Malaysia Airlines Business Suite www.malaysiaairlines.com

Malaysia Airlines has earned a reputation for immaculate service and thoughtful design, and it offers its Business Class cabins exclusively on the Airbus A350, which operates routes to London and Paris, as well as select services to Doha and Tokyo. The airline creates a private sanctuary in the sky with signature touches such as an extravagant caviar service, satay on demand, and a wide array of in-flight entertainment displayed on a cutting-edge 24″ screen. Each seat commands the space of four standard seats, giving you ample room to recline into a full-sized, fully flat bed. Aspinal of London crafts the luxurious amenity kits, filling them with indulgent Payot products, and stylish pyjamas, to ensure you enjoy a restful sleep wherever you travel.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 www.singaporeair.com

Discover another exquisite way to fly aboard Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 fleet. From hand-tufted carpets to grained leather storage compartments, the airline creates a peaceful journey for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Whether you relax with a couple of films or unwind over an immaculate meal, these suites elevate every moment of your in-flight experience. Each features a luxurious bed — which you can convert into a double when you book two adjoining suites — along with a 32″ HD touch-screen monitor and an enhanced KrisWorld entertainment system. You control everything, from the lighting to the attentive service, with a discreet touch-screen tablet at your fingertips. When you feel like indulging a little more, enjoy exclusive Lalique toiletries tucked inside the well-appointed vanity counter or select a main course crafted by the airline’s acclaimed International Culinary Panel. The crew even serves every dish at your personal table on elegant Wedgwood bone china.

The post Elevated: Five Elegant Airline Suites to Book Next Time you Fly appeared first on Best of Living.

For many, owning an aircraft represents the ultimate freedom – the ability to move on your own schedule, reach places airlines simply don’t go, and turn long, tiring surface journeys into short, efficient flights. But aircraft ownership is not simply a purchase; it is a long-term commitment of time, money, and organisation, and the biggest mistakes often happen long before a buyer ever steps onto a flight deck. “People fall in love with the machine before they’ve defined the mission,” explains Michael, “and that’s where problems start.” Before looking at listings or specifications, here are a few pointers on what every prospective aircraft owner should understand.

Start With Why You Are Flying

Michael warns that the most important advice is also the most ignored. Do not begin with the aircraft – begin with the trips you plan to make. For example, how many people will fly with you, and how far do you realistically plan to travel? How often you will fly, and where will you need to land? These questions define your mission, and without that clarity, it’s easy to buy either far more capability than you’ll ever use, or too little and regret it later. If an aircraft does not fit easily into your daily life, it will sit unused. “Aircraft are happiest, and most cost-effective, when they fly often and simply,” says Michael.

Know the Real Cost

The purchase price of an aircraft is only the beginning. Whether it flies or not, it will cost you money every year. Hangarage, insurance, scheduled inspections, maintenance, training, and regulatory compliance all add up, and fuel is only one part of the overall picture. Older aircrafts can be perfectly viable options, but only if parts are available, and skilled engineers can support them. Downtime, too, has a cost, particularly if the aircraft is relied upon for travel. “Assume something will break,” Michael advises. “Because eventually, it will.”

Check the History Carefully

A clean, complete logbook is essential before parting with finances. Buyers should look closely at total airframe time, as well as engine or rotor hours remaining. Damage history matters, as does where the aircraft has been based, since exposure to water and salt air can leave lasting marks. For first-time buyers, working with a trusted broker can significantly reduce risk. What looks like a bargain at first glance can become an expensive lesson later on.

Treat the Inspection Like a Trial

A pre-purchase inspection is not a courtesy and should never be treated as one. It is a test. Compliance status, corrosion, life-limited parts, and paperwork gaps all need scrutiny, because missing records reduce resale value quickly. “It flies fine” is not evidence, and this stage should never be rushed.

Understand UK Rules Early

In the UK, registration and airworthiness are two separate systems, and confusing them can ground an aircraft very quickly. Registration places the aircraft on the UK register, while airworthiness is what keeps it legally flying. Owners will need a valid Certificate of Airworthiness or Permit to Fly, ongoing inspections, and approved maintenance arrangements. Most work with a CAMO or a Part-145 or Part-CAO organisation approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Miss an inspection or a document and the aircraft is grounded. “You can self-manage,” says Michael, “but many owners prefer professionals. The paperwork is dull, but it protects your safety, resale value, and your sanity.”

Tax and Import Can Ruin a Good Deal

Few areas cause more pain than tax, and mistakes here often cost more than bad negotiation. VAT depends on where the aircraft is purchased, how it is imported, and how it will be used. A private buyer will usually pay VAT on import into the UK, while a VAT-registered business may be able to reclaim it, but only if the aircraft is genuinely used for qualifying business activity rather than mainly personal use. “A cheap aircraft becomes expensive very quickly if VAT, duties, or structuring are wrong,” Michael warns. “This is where professionals earn their fee.”

How to Find the Best Deals

While Sprinkle lists aircraft from around the world – serving everyone from first-time buyers to experienced high net worth owners – aviation remains in many ways an old-school industry. “Some of the best deals never make it online,” says Michael. “They happen within trusted networks of owners and pilots, or even on notice boards at local airfields.”
 
As Michael puts it; “Buy for the flying you will actually do, not the flying you imagine. When the aircraft fits your life naturally, ownership becomes freedom. When it doesn’t, it becomes friction.”

Know all you need to know now about purchasing your own aircraft? Take a look at why a superyacht could be the one for you – plus these are the cruises to book up for now.

The post Here’s Your Ultimate Guide to Purchasing an Aircraft appeared first on Best of Living.

FlyFair

Start Your Path to Becoming a Pilot

While becoming a pilot may seem out of reach, it’s a career attainable for those with ability, support and determination. Unlike many Approved Training Organisations (ATOs), FlyFair places inclusivity and social mobility at its core, ensuring pilot training remains both accessible and affordable. Its flagship programme, the IntegraModular Pathway, offers aspiring pilots the structure of integrated learning alongside the flexibility of modular teaching. Students can train across multiple UK partner sites, with schedules to accommodate existing commitments. What’s more, through its Continuous Resilience Development Programme, delivered in partnership with the CAA-approved Resilient Pilot, trainees are equipped with airline-standard skills and the professional mindset required from day one.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or returning to training, FlyFair provides a direct, supportive route. Its mission is simple: to expand access to a career that truly takes off on merit. www.flyfair.co.uk

Global Jet

Travel By Private Jet Easily and Efficiently

Whether for charter or ownership, private aviation has never been more sought-after. Yet for many, it can seem a world apart. Global Jet aims to bridge that gap. With a 25-year track record, the company stands as one of the industry’s most trusted names. Still privately owned and operated by its founders, Global Jet employs more than 600 aviation professionals across four divisions: charter and brokerage, aircraft management, sales and acquisitions, and design and completion oversight. With 10 offices spanning Geneva, Monaco, Madrid, Paris and Dubai, the company’s global footprint is significant. Its managed fleet of around 75 aircraft; including Boeing Business Jets, Airbus ACJs, Gulfstreams and Bombardiers; places it among the world’s leading operators.

For clients who value discretion, efficiency and exceptional service, Global Jet offers a seamless experience from purchase to operation, with luxury equipment as standard. www.globaljet.aero

Corgi

Model Airplanes for Aviation Enthusiasts

For those captivated by the history and artistry of flight, few pursuits are as satisfying as collecting model aircraft. For generations, the CORGI Aviation Archive has celebrated aviation heritage through exquisitely detailed die-cast replicas. Part of the Hornby Hobbies family, Corgi recreates some of the world’s most significant aircraft in ready-made, pre-painted form. Each model reflects a dedication to precision and storytelling that connects collectors with moments of aviation history. Highlights include the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 – nicknamed Moggy – a 1:48 scale model complete with crew figures and display stand, and the Supermarine Spitfire MkI flown by war hero Douglas Bader, rendered at 1:72 scale with its distinctive black, white and silver underside.

In an increasingly digital age, these tangible pieces of craftsmanship offer a nostalgic yet enduring link to the past. www.corgi.co.uk

Capital Air Services

Your Trusted UK Helicopter Provider

For over 30 years, Capital Air Services has been redefining helicopter travel, offering an impeccable standard of service to passengers and aircraft owners alike. Operating a fleet of state-of-the-art twin-engine helicopters, the company combines safety, comfort and flexibility with a discreet, customer-focused approach. Among its most in-demand aircraft are the new Airbus H145 D3 models, seating up to nine and offering exceptional visibility and performance from London’s Battersea Heliport. The EC135 fleet continues to provide a smooth, quiet and efficient experience for discerning clients. Capital Air Services operates under its own Air Operator’s Certificate (GB2049), regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. All aircraft are IFR-certified, ensuring safe flight in varied weather conditions, day or night.

With round-the-clock availability, bespoke itineraries and rigorous safety standards, Capital Air Services delivers a truly seamless, stress-free travel experience. www.capitalairservices.co.uk

F/LIST

Crafting the future of luxury aviation interiors

Celebrating 75 years of excellence, F/LIST has evolved from a small Austrian joinery into a global leader in bespoke interiors for aviation. F/LIST has helped shape the business aviation industry, partnering with major OEMs such as Bombardier, Gulfstream, Embraer and Pilatus to deliver interiors that marry refined aesthetics with technical mastery. At the forefront is F/LAB, the company’s in-house hub, where engineers and designers create next-generation materials and technologies. From ultra-lightweight composites that reduce fuel consumption to bio-based materials and plant-derived finishes, sustainability is built into every design. The revolutionary Shapeshifter concept exemplifies this forward thinking, transforming cabin furniture mid-flight to optimise space and functionality.

With more than 1,200 employees across ten global locations, F/LIST continues to balance timeless craftsmanship with a bold vision for the future. www.f-list.at

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