An Etihad A380 suite living room has been restored and installed in the Dubai apartment of aviation enthusiast Arun Rajagopal, who originally intended to buy only its leather sofa seats.

Key Takeaways

  • The installation was completed in June 2026 after nearly a year of restoration and adaptation.
  • Rajagopal acquired the living room section of the three-room Residence suite, not the bedroom or bathroom.

How the Etihad A380 suite was restored

Rajagopal found the dismantled living room at the workshop of Wings Craft, a UAE-based aviation upcycling company. Its founder, Fawaz Mohammed Ali, encouraged him to acquire the whole section rather than just the sofa.

Engineers repaired or replaced damaged and missing components and adapted aircraft systems for use in the apartment. Six workers carried the oversized parts up the stairs to the seventh floor because they would not fit in the service lift.

The finished space includes a custom 32-inch television, powered window shades, ambient lighting, USB charging ports and sliding privacy doors. Rajagopal can use it to work, dine, relax and entertain guests.

A collection built around aviation

Etihad introduced the Residence in 2014. The Airbus A380 suite has a private living room, a separate bedroom and an en-suite bathroom with a shower. Rajagopal had flown in the Residence seven times.

His collection also includes first-class seats from Emirates’ inaugural A380 and a coffee table made from an A380 wheel. He did not disclose the installation’s exact cost but said the investment could have bought him a car.

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