A British businessman has transformed a Boeing 727 plane that once may have belonged to Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar into Airbnb accommodation and entertainment hub.
Johnny Palmer, the founder of events company PYTCH, heard that the aircraft was sitting abandoned in the English village of Kemble in Gloucestershire and entered into negotiations to buy it in 2020.
After the plane was purchased, it was transported almost 50 kilometres to Cotswold Airport in Brislington in February 2021.
“I saw this one and I met a guy called Mark who showed me around and eventually I managed to buy it off him and a year later I landed it down in Brislington in Bristol,” Palmer told SWNS.
“It was quite a hard journey, but eventually it got here and we got two massive cranes and we lifted it up and we plonked it on top of the shipping containers.”
Palmer refurbished the plane, which came complete with a hot tub and sauna, and rented it out, with the cheapest nights costing £250 (A$498.64) and the peak nights £850 .
While the plane is mainly used as an Airbnb where visitors can get a taste of the billionaire life, Palmer said it was also used for a variety of events.
“Now we use this for lots of things, events, photo shoots, parties and some people rent it and stay, and have their kids parties or anniversaries,” he said.
“It's used most nights of the week for something, sometimes commercially and sometimes we just let it be available to artists.”
The Airbnb boasts two double bedrooms with ensuite toilets and showers, and seats which can be converted into beds.
It comes complete with walnut panelling, leather seats, a gold plated shower and toilet – as well as the original fully-fitted cockpit.
While the plane may have taken its last flight in 2012, all other features are operational including the airstairs, lighting, three toilets, shower, kitchen, fridge and many of the cockpit lights.
The plane was built in 1968 for Japan Airlines before becoming a private jet in 1981 and being decommissioned in 2012.
Many rumours have circulated around previous owners of the plane, including an Arab Prince and the Mafia.
“Someone said that Pablo Escobar might have owned it for a while,” Palmer said.
“As to where it came before that, who knows – that doesn’t change the fact that we are doing so (much) positive stuff with it now.”
Palmer said it worked well as a business and he planned to purchase another plane to create his own “fleet”.
“I've got another plane lined up, the planning pre-applications gone in and soon you'll see a full planning application for the next aeroplane in Bristol,” he said.
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