Flight of fancy

I have no problem with capitalism or rich people. All things being equal, I wouldn’t mind being rich some day.

But there are limits, and some extremely wealthy person just reached them. He or she would be the still-anonymous tycoon who has ordered the mother of all private jets — an Airbus A380, the world’s largest airliner.

That’s right, folks. An A380, a double-decker super-jumbo jet capable of carrying a staggering total of 840 passengers.

Airbus has confirmed that it has taken an order for an A380 that will be modified for the customer’s personal use. The plane itself costs $300 million, and the customization is expected to add another $50 million to $100 million.

I don’t know how much it costs to keep a flight crew, ground crew and other support staff on hand for this toy, but I’m guessing it’s not cheap. However, if you’re dropping up to $400 mil just for the plane, a pilot’s salary is just spare change.

An Airbus official said that the owner is not from Europe or the United States, which I suspect means the mogul in question lives in the Middle East or Asia. The plane will be tricked up for the customer’s “personal use and his entourage.”

This sets a new definition of wretched excess. But it’s almost to be expected, since aviation experts say there are already about 20 Boeing 747s being used as private jets.

Who wants another 747 when you can fly in something almost twice as big? And when you are mega-rich, apparently size does matter.

I hate to sound like a Commie, but can you image how many starving people could be fed with all the money being tossed around here? Yikes … and yuck.