When we imagine a dream vacation, we think of resorts on paradisiacal beaches, hotels in big cities like Paris, New York or London or villas with every imaginable comfort in the countryside. But there are also those who go one step further and let their imagination run wild.
As in any other field that involves innovation, some new ideas and projects challenge the boundaries of the feasible and the unfeasible. Such is the case with Sky Cruise, a flying luxury hotel first conceived by concept artist Tony Holmsten and now brought to life by Hashem Alghaili, a science communicator with millions of followers worldwide. In a new CGI video by the Yemeni Youtuber that has gone viral, the revolutionary idea that could be “the future of transportation” is shown.
The nuclear-powered Sky Cruise would be controlled by an AI and could stay in the air for months while docking to pick up new passengers. The futuristic hotel would carry 5,000 passengers and offer them a gym, a huge swimming pool, restaurants, a gigantic shopping mall, a theater and plenty of luxury. Not to mention a panoramic hall offering a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding sky. This would make it the world’s first combination of airplane and overnight accommodation.
The limits of the flying hotel
Despite the promise of grandeur, not everyone is enthusiastic about the idea – or considers it unfeasible. Some have described the Sky Cruise concept as a “new Titanic” and pointed out a host of problems with the design. The huge aircraft would have problems taking off and would be anything but aerodynamic. Others also pointed out problems with the weight and said that a crash of a plane this size could destroy an entire city.
As one Youtube commenter put it: “Great idea to put a nuclear reactor in something that could malfunction and fall out of the sky.” Not to mention the enormous development costs that such a project would require.
Some also took the opportunity to criticize the policies of some airlines with humour: “I’m sure I could afford a ticket for the lowest deck with no legroom and no lounge access”.
So the question remains: Will we ever be able to board a flying hotel? Only time will tell.
If you prefer destinations on the ground, you should take a look here.
Adapted from an article by Max Hailer for Secret Munich.