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The airline industry in India may be going through turbulent times, but dining in airplane-themed restaurants is taking off in a big way.
Royal Nag Aviation (RNA), a Bengaluru-based life-sized aircraft restaurant-making company, announced recently that buyers from across the country are seeking its products.
"We have got orders from Rajasthan, Dehradun and Vadodara for making aircraft-shaped and themed restaurants and bars," said RNA's chief executive Naresh Kumar Ganesh.
Established in 2013, RNA makes multiple aircraft models, such as Cessna, Hansa, Beechcraft and the widely popular Airbus A320, which costs Rs1.9 crore ($360,000) including freight charges.
"Many of our aircraft models are used for training purposes," he said.
"But there is a growing demand for models to be themed like a restaurant."
The company uses glass fibre, aluminium and steel to build the aircraft-restaurants.
RNA is currently making a five-star aircraft-restaurant for a Vadodara-based entrepreneur.
"Our first aircraft-restaurant order came from Dehradun.
"Currently, we have two more orders from Hyderabad and Surat and we are negotiating for a third one in Rajasthan," said Mr Ganesh.
Once an aircraft-restaurant is built, it is transported in sections of 12 metres each on four trailers, which on assembly at the destination will stretch to 38m in length and 35m in width.
The interiors will mirror the inside of an aircraft - with a cockpit, seats, carpets, even the slightly buzzing noise that one hears inside a plane.
Mr Ganesh said there are already three aircraft-restaurants in Ludhiana, Delhi and Patiala.
"They are all original aircraft. But they have serious problems because they are 40 years old. Our models are 10 times stronger," he said.
The aircraft-restaurant in Dehradun can seat up to 100 people at a time.
But often there is a big queue wanting a seat. According to Mr Ganesh, the Dehradun operator has ordered one more restaurant to be set up at Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
"The Dehradun restaurant has been clocking a turnover of Rs3 lakh ($5,690) every day, making a profit of Rs1.5 lakh a day," said Mr Ganesh, who will start work on the new order in March.
It takes six months to build an aircraft-restaurant. RNA procures aluminium from Hindalco and fibre glass and steel from local dealers.
The company has been impressing crowds with aviation-themed restaurants across India, but it has not found any takers in its home city of Bengaluru.
"I am really upset, the Bengaluru crowd is really elite," said Mr Ganesh.
"They have sufficient money, but unfortunately nobody wants to invest in an aircraft-themed restaurant. They are not aware of its potential."
Indo-Asian News Service
"Many of our aircraft models are used for training purposes. But there is a growing demand for models to be themed like a restaurant."
- RNA's chief executive Naresh Kumar Ganesh
