People Transformed This Grounded Jumbo Jet Into A Hostel, And It’s Blowing Our Minds

Yes, the aircraft in question is now one of the most unique hostels on the planet! The jumbo jet was constructed way back in 1976 for Singapore Airlines. Following a stint with the iconic Pan Am it was then taken under the wing of Swedish airline Transjet. But due to the latter’s bankruptcy in 2002 the plane was decommissioned. 

Yet the aircraft did have a pretty good innings. The average airplane is usually put out to pasture after roughly three decades in the air. And a Boeing 747 typically racks up about 35,000 flights during this period. In terms of hours in the sky, that’s somewhere between 135,000 and 165,000. So what usually happens when retirement age hits?

Well, obsolete airplanes in the United States are normally transported to desert-based parking lots dubbed “boneyards.” Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona are particularly popular sites due to the dry weather conditions which can help to halt the rusting process. And these areas are big enough to store everything from B-52 bombers to commercial vehicles.

Tucson in Arizona houses the biggest boneyard in the world at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Here, approximately 4,400 planes, many of which are out-of-service government models, fill roughly 2,600 acres. And the total cost of such aircraft can amount to a staggering $32 billion! But although the vehicles themselves may no longer be operable, their parts can still be useful.

An aircraft will typically be cleaned throughout once it arrives at its boneyard destination. This ensures that any salt left on its exterior is washed away, avoiding any further corrosion. Any parts that could be considered as dangerous, such as ejection seat activators or weaponry, are discarded. The coat of the plane will also be painted white to protect it from sunrays.

And some of these airplanes will live to see another day. A number will be kept in flight-ready conditions in case there’s a shortage of vehicles elsewhere and they need to be quickly recalled. Others will be bought by allies of the United States whose own fleets need an upgrade.

But most airplanes who enter their boneyard will simply be dismantled piece by piece over the years. At sites such as the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, some parts will be recycled or shredded in a smelter. Decommissioned commercial jets will suffer the same fate, with any unwanted remains turned into scrap metal.

The scrap metal process can still help an airline to recoup at least a little bit of money. For example, a Boeing 747 can sell for more than $50,000 once its metal frame has gone through the smelter. But before this, an airline will try and sell off every single part. And we mean every single part. Even the plane’s humble toilet bowl can find a new home. 

This second-hand market can be a pretty lucrative one, too. The rotating blades you find in an engine’s turbine can fetch up to $2 million, for instance. A 747’s landing gear will often be sold for $300,000, while you’ll need at least $30,000 if you want a recycled cockpit screen. Slightly more affordable is a used service cart which typically costs $200.

Some planes may be decommissioned long before the average time span, though. Developments in fuel-efficiency have inspired several airlines to take jets out of service in favor of newer, more cost-effective models. Changes in the rules set by the Federal Aviation Administration may also make some parts of an aircraft non-compliant. And then there are times when the general demand for travel might subside.

And the way that planes age means that sometimes older models will stay in the air much longer than younger ones. Every time an aircraft heads for the sky, for example, it suffers some stress on its wings and fuselage. This means that vehicles reserved for longer flights will generally suffer less stress than those aircraft that take flight several times a day, on shorter ones. 

To find out how much stress has affected each plane over time, airlines will rely on specific maintenance programs. Based on the results, the aircraft will either be decommissioned or have its parts replaced. If it’s the former, then the airline can expect to pay up to $60,000 every month in storage. Wow!

Occasionally a decommissioned jet will avoid the boneyard altogether. Take the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, for example, which after 32 years in action was sold to the ABC network. It was then used as the aircraft which crashed on to the mysterious desert island in the hugely popular TV drama Lost.

Others may be bought by private collectors with both the space and the money to house a decommissioned jumbo jet. And then there’s one particular 747-200 model which has been given a new lease of life thanks to an entrepreneur with an eye for quirky hospitality. So what inspired Oscar Diös to turn the aircraft at Stockholm Arlanda Airport into a hostel?

On the hostel Jumbo Stay’s official website Oscar explains, “I was getting ready to expand my hostel business in 2006 when I heard about an old wreck of an aircraft for sale at Arlanda. Since I had for a long time wanted to establish my business at Arlanda I didn’t hesitate for a second when this opportunity struck.”

Toward the end of 2007 Oscar was granted permission to launch his unusual hostel at Arlanda airport by local authorities. Within a month he’d arranged for the plane to be relocated to the parking area of a construction site. It was here that the aircraft’s makeover began. All 450 of the original seats were removed, and every bit of the interior was given a fresh lick of paint.

By the summer, the aircraft was ready to be moved to its permanent new home. It couldn’t have got much closer to its final destination, either. Jumbo Stay is situated just 65 feet from Stockholm Arlanda airport. A couple of steel cradles helped to secure its landing gear in the concrete foundation.

In 2009 Jumbo Stay was finally ready to open up its 27 different rooms to the general public. The hostel can apparently house up to 76 people at one time having made use of every bit of space available: some rooms are situated inside the aircraft’s engines! But the cockpit luxury suite was undoubtedly the main draw.

Yes, the plane’s purpose may have significantly changed. But Oscar and his company have still retained the aviation theme throughout. In fact, all employees are required to sport the kind of uniforms you’d expect to be worn by air hosts and hostesses. They’re even classed as “cabin crew” by the company.

As its name suggests, the cockpit suite boasts the kind of control panel you’d see in any working aircraft. But it’s one you can put your feet up on while lying on a good-sized luxurious bed. Guests are also encouraged to fulfil their pilot dreams by playing around with all the knobs and buttons. Let’s just hope they don’t suddenly spark into life!

Just as you would expect, the view from the cockpit suite is also the most spectacular out of all the 27 rooms. It’s not every day you can wake up to the sight of a landing strip! And forget those lengthy queues for the toilets you always see every time you take a flight. The suite has its own bathroom.

Of course, some may be deterred from booking a night at Jumbo Stay for the fact that there are only a few rooms with private bathrooms available. Yes, this being a hostel and all, most guests will have to share the toilet and shower facilities on board. But these are apparently always kept in immaculate condition.

But even if you aren’t able to book one of the hostel’s suites, the other rooms are still impressive. Each is equipped with a white linen-covered bed, little table, and TV for when the novelty of staying in a decommissioned jumbo jet wears off. And you can also soak in the surrounding views through one of those small aircraft windows.

Yet the Jumbo Stay has much more to offer than its sleeping quarters. You can take in the lush green sights of Arlanda by venturing out onto one of the plane’s wings which has been converted into a viewing deck. At Christmastime this area is also adorned with festive lights.

You don’t have to worry about the temperature, though, whenever the conditions outside start to get Arctic. An air inverter helps to keep the entire hostel nice and toasty at all times. And if you need somewhere to store all your gloves, hats, and jackets then where better than the upcycled overhead compartments.

And you certainly won’t go hungry while aboard the Jumbo Stay, either. The hostel also boasts a 24-hour café to satisfy everyone from early risers to midnight snackers. So forget about relying on a tiny pack of peanuts and occasional offer of tea or coffee to get you through your time on board.

Those who have paid for one of the hostel’s suites will also gain access to the exclusive VIP lounges. Here, guests can sip on cocktails while relaxing on one of the aircraft’s original seats. Or if you prefer a beer, then why not try one of the local varieties sourced via a brewery in the nearby Uppsala.

But you don’t have to book a night at the Jumbo Stay to enjoy its unique setting. If you’re tired of staging your work meetings in a dreary office or over Zoom, you can also take advantage of its small but still swanky conference room. And don’t forget to enjoy some Swedish fika — aka the name the country gives to its coffee and sweet treat downtime — in-between all the business talk, too. 

If you want a souvenir of your unique stay, then you can always peruse the merchandise on offer at the small gift shop on board. Other features include free wireless and newspapers, daily housekeeping and blackout drapes. And newlyweds who want to do something a little different on the big day can even have their wedding reception there. We’re not sure the entire wedding party would fit, mind you. 

A spokesperson for Jumbo Stay told website Curbed that the plane was clearly more than just a hostel. They said, “It’s also an exciting place to go on an excursion for the whole family and for aviation enthusiasts.” So what’s the verdict from those who have actually stepped foot inside the converted aircraft?

Well, the all-important Tripadvisor reviews are generally positive. As of November 2021 Jumbo Stay ranks an impressive tenth out of 104 in the category, Stockholm’s Specialty Lodging. It also boasts an average four out of five stars rating, achieving particularly high marks for its cleanliness and location.

One particularly satisfied customer wrote, “More hostel than hotel but aviation geeks (like me) will love it. Booked a single with ensuite, located towards the tail of the plane. Spotlessly clean shower/toilet and a bed more comfortable than any ‘lie flat’ business class bed I’ve ever tried to sleep in on a plane.”

Another pleased guest posted, “A must! It was such a fun experience. The rooms are so cool and everything was so clean. The view was amazing and the staff are the nicest people!! A hotel inside an actual plane!! That’s not something you see every day! Would definitely recommend this place to everyone.”

But not every guest was as enthused. One Tripadvisor review read, “The rooms are small and cramped and bathrooms are shared and easily fill with water on the floor. Breakfast is very basic and of low quality. The hotel is unattended for much of the time. Whilst it may be good in a shared hostel room, it was not good value for a family of three.”

Travel site Atlas Obscura had mixed feelings about the experience, writing, “It’s hard to imagine wanting to book a room at the Jumbo Stay. If you’re arriving from Stockholm by boat, plane, or train, few people would want to pile back onto a 747 airplane for a restful night. But the hotel still manages to draw a crowd with its incredible attention to detail.”

So how much exactly does it cost to spend a night on board the Jumbo Stay? Well, if you’re prepared to share bathroom facilities and your sleeping quarters, then you only have to spend $60. But if you prefer something a little more luxurious, then a suite will set you back roughly $550.

Oscar himself forked out approximately $2.5 million renovating the aircraft into Sweden’s most unlikely hostel destination. Luckily, he believes it was money well spent. He told MailOnline in 2014, “I wanted to open up a hotel on the airport. I learnt about the decommissioned aircraft and I thought it would [be] an interesting way of getting into the airport hotel market.”

A proud Oscar went on to add, “The Jumbo Stay Hotel is right on the airport, it’s located 20 meters outside, ‘airside,’ next to the taxi runway for the planes. Our guests are simply amazed when they see our hotel.” And Oscar concurs with the general consensus about the plane’s standout feature.

Oscar concluded, “I would say the best part of the hotel is the view from the cockpit window. The plane was once part of the Pan-Am airline fleet and flew between 1984 and 1991. This piece of aircraft has flown day and night for so many years. Now it is finally resting and guarding our new guests, calm and stable on the ground.”