Lufthansa's SkyRetreat cabin re-imagines the Airbus A220 as a VIP ride

Business jets don't need to be filled to the gills with the latest technology or even a riot of I-ticked-all-the-boxes options.

Proof of concept? Here's a zen-like approach to customising the Airbus A220 for a unique private jet experience.

It's the SkyRetreat cabin from Lufthansa Technik, and it delivers a refreshingly pared-back naturalist approach to cabin design without sacrificing any of the creature comforts.

"Our designers envisioned a totally new and unconventional design approach for the Airbus A220," the company explains, with "a reduction to the essential (while) cleverly and discreetly integrating the latest cabin technologies."

Touch-friendly surfaces replace physical switches, while the 4K TV screen slides up from a concealed slot in a side bench, as shown in these sketches.

But the best is yet to come, with Lufthansa Technik teasing "a totally unique Observation Lounge" which will be revealed in September 2019 at the Monaco Yacht Show.

The Airbus A220 – a nimble single-aisle jet formerly known as the Bombardier C Series – is the smallest member of Airbus' commercial family and, Lufthansa Technik says, ripe for the private jetset.

"Although the A220 represents the new entry level of both Airbus' corporate jet portfolio as well as our completions offerings, it already provides an incredible amount of space for breathtaking VIP interiors," opines Lufthansa Technik's Wieland Timm.

"Our SkyRetreat concept makes optimum use of this spacious cabin and its technical features will provide our customers with a whole new sense of space and a unique travel experience."

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.