President William Ruto’s 3-day working trip to the United States of America (USA) this week elicited mixed reactions from members of the public after the head of state chartered luxurious Boeing B737-77W Business Jet from Emirati aviator Royal Jet for $1.5 million (Ksh200 million).
Kenyans have taken to various media platform to question the president’s decision to splash Ksh200 million of taxpayer money despite advocating for budget cuts ahead of the contentious Finance Bill 2024.
Royal Jet, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was established in 2003 and is a joint venture between the Presidential Flight (Abu Dhabi Amiri Aviation) and Abu Dhabi Aviation.
The company operates over 13 planes and is chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.
Features
The Boeing B737-77W Business Jet is among Royal Jet’s newest planes. It was acquired in 2016.
The plane has a forward crew rest area, a master bedroom with a private lavatory and shower, and a first-class lounge. It ensured VIPs such as President Ruto enjoy the utmost convenience.
Entertainment is well catered for in this jet which has a state-of-the-art video-on-demand in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, enhanced by a high-quality sound system with overhead speakers and subwoofers. These are complemented by a unique mood lighting system capable of over a million color variations, controlled by an iPad-based cabin management system.
The Boeing B737-77W business jet has excellent WiFi and unlimited access to some of the best streaming platforms like Apple TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
The cabin has cabinets with two pullout tables on each side, hanging storage and active emergency exits on both sides.
The master bedroom has electric window shades, a 42-inch monitor under-bed storage, a bedside table with storage and a full-height wardrobe with storage, among others.
The Boeing B737-77W is fitted with low cabin altitude modification and HEPA filtration to optimize health and comfort, leaving passengers feeling more relaxed and refreshed upon reaching their destination.
The plane accommodates 36 passengers offering a mix of VIP, business class, and standard seats. It has a queen-sized bed and 16 lie-flat seats for passengers to rest.
