Get hitched on an iconic British Airways Negus 747 aircraft
Forget the mile-high club… romance has literally taken a front seat on this Negus 747. Now you can get married in its cockpit.
The retired British Airways plane has been converted into a wedding venue and party plane among other things, thanks to a more than half a million-dollar makeover.
Suzannah Harvey, chief executive of the privately-owned Cotswold Airport, in Gloucestershire, bought the craft from BA for £1 (around $1.30) back in October 2020.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
She then spent the next 14 months kitting it out with disco lights, a dance floor, a bar, a giant TV screen and everything else you’d expect from a more than $1,000-per-hour entertainment space.
Related: 16 airline liveries that will catch any AvGeek’s eye
Related: My 11 craziest AvGeek experiences
“It’s a very versatile events facility, so it can accommodate anything from a kid’s birthday party, through to a new product launch or a corporate presentation,” Harvey told CNN
To get married aboard the plane will set you back about $16,000 (£12,000) for 24 hours, including set up and breakdown times. “The whole of the aircraft has a wedding license,” says Harvey. “So you can get married in the cockpit if you want.”
Harvey got the idea after a number of retired 747s arrived at her airport to be stripped for parts by Air Salvage International — one of the U.K.’s leading “aircraft undertakers” that happens to be based at Cotswolds Airport.
She took the idea to BA and, after six weeks of fine-print negotiations, persuaded the company to part with the former flagship.
The deal rested on her promise to keep the plane in good condition, while keeping most of its original structure, including its iconic Negus livery.
This particular plane had, after all, been with BA since 1994. In 16 years, it has flown nearly 60 million miles across 13,398 flights. Its last passenger flight was from Miami to Heathrow in April 2020.
Related: AvGeek-in-training: How to tell Boeing 747s apart
BA’s plan to phase out its fleet of Negus 747s, which enjoyed their heyday through the 1990s, was expedited by the COVID-19 downturn.
Known as “Queen of the Skies” and popular among AvGeeks, the “fuel-hungry” Boeing jet has fallen out of favor of late as airlines switch to smaller and more efficient passenger planes.
Harvey says interest has gone through the roof, and bookings already include a wedding this spring, the filming of a Netflix documentary and numerous parties for the summer.
On top of events, Cotswold Airport will be opening up for tours from March, which visitors will be able to book through a soon-to-launched app. Booking inquiries can also be made via Instagram.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. |
Intro Offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.60,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees