A week ago, we took a look at one interior cabin concept for the ACJ TwoTwenty, Airbus' private jet version of the A220, which took its maiden flight in December 2021. However, as with most business aviation aircraft - even ones as large as this - there are several options to choose from depending on customer preference and the planned purpose of the plane. Lufthansa Technik has also developed a concept for the private A220, one it calls the "SkyRetreat."

Lufthansa Technik first previewed its SkyRetreat concept in 2019, and it really offers a completely new take on the private VIP jet. The design is focused around an open-plan cabin layout and a forward-facing observation deck. Let's take a closer look at how the German MRO and design firm imagines customers would find their own haven in the skies.

"Flying barefoot in the mind"

Based on the Airbus A220, Airbus’ smallest (but highly popular) airliner inherited from Bombardier, Lufthansa’s SkyRetreat concept is very different from the standard private jet interior. It looks more like a private superyacht or a minimalist and elegant hotel suite.

However, in comparison to yachts or hotels, private jets are a lot more restricted by the physical limitations of the platform. Not only do aircraft have to meet much higher safety standards, but they are also (usually) smaller and only produced by a handful of manufacturers.

But even just looking at the mock-ups for the SkyRetreat concept, it’s immediately obvious that it's very different from your standard design. The main selling point and focal feature of SkyRetreat is its ‘observation deck,’ which offers forward-facing views out of the cockpit. How about that for a plane ride into the sun setting above the clouds?

Since the post-9/11 tightening of regulations on who gets to enter the flight deck, an airborne view out of the cockpit has become a very rare sight for most of us. (And it's likely to stay that way too, as Lufthansa Technik has confirmed that the SkyRetreat would only be viable for private aircraft.)

Meanwhile, to provide space for passengers to sit behind the pilots, Lufthansa Technik has moved the cockpit bulkhead backward, behind door one.

Besides the ‘observation deck,’ the rest of the SkyRetreat’s cabin space is also significantly different from what you would normally find when flying with the rich and famous.

The main cabin is remarkably open-plan, with the concept drawings showing multiple large sofas with minimalist interior decoration and fittings, which Lufthansa Technik says introduces a "new level of freedom."

On the SkyRetreat concept website, Lufthansa Technik further describes its approach to the interior, saying, “It calls for a reduction to the essential, thereby cleverly and discreetly integrating latest cabin technologies.”

Will the SkyRetreat concept become a reality?

Speaking at the Dubai Air Show in 2019, Lufthansa Technik’s head of sales VIP and special mission aircraft, Wieland Timm, said, “There is huge potential here because of the customer change in the market.”

The Middle East has been a hotspot for private jets for many years now. But there are many larger types out there that can be converted into private jets. So why has Lufthansa Technik opted to base its refit concept on Airbus’s smallest jet?

Timm believes that there’s been a change in demand in recent years.

“There is a younger generation getting more wealth who are going to be attracted to more modern types, with roomier interiors and fewer small rooms. Those are who our concept is aimed at.”

The executive is also listed on the SkyRetreat website as the personal contact for those interested in the concept.

Airbus wants future clients to get creative

Meanwhile, the first ACJ TwoTwenty was handed over to Switzerland's Comlux at the beginning of the year. The operator will work on completing the interior of the aircraft before it begins to fly in the service of luxury hotel chain FIVE in Dubai, serving both customers and owners alike. For future private A220 buyers, Airbus has launched its very own design studio in Toulouse, France.

What do you think of the Lufthansa Technik SkyRetreat? What kind of customer would opt for this type of design? Leave a comment below and share your ideas.

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