I turned '70s jet into ultimate Airbnb with two bedrooms, shower & its original cockpit – now I rake in £170 per night

The Sun

07-05-2025

A DAD has revealed how he turned a 1970s jet into an Airbnb rental worth £170 per night.
Plane enthusiasts can stay in a 1970s private jet - complete with original cockpit - after a dad spent £90k transforming it into a tiny home.
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Tamir Ali, 38, acquired half of a 1970s Hawker jet in December 2023 from an acquittance who deals with "unique features".
The plane had been used by an oil company to transport employees through the 1970's and 80's before being decommissioned.
It was cut in half with the wings removed for ease of transport.
The dad-of-four spent seven months and nearly £90k transforming the jet and turning it into a rental property in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales.
The unique home is complete with two bedrooms which sleeps two adults and two children - and has a fully functioning kitchen, a bathroom with a shower and an outdoor seating area.
The pet friendly property has only been on Airbnb for three weeks, but is already at 70 per cent occupancy.
Tamir, who restores classic cars, from Leicester, said: "It's awesome - when people walk in they say it's much bigger than it seems on the outside.
"It's almost like you're in a normal home.
"It's a unique experience, not many people get to sit in the cockpit of 70's private jet."
The plane was "a bit worse for wear" when Tamir first purchased it for an undisclosed amount in December 2023.
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Tamir spent seven months transforming the plane into a quirky holiday home.
The restoration and renovation process included replacing the carpets with wooden floors, rewiring the electrics, and getting a custom-made door fitted.
Tamir secured a location for the plane in Dolgellau, Wales, and fitted a 16ft by 9ft cabin to it to make enough space for a double bed, kitchen and bathroom.
Tamir said: "I've always worked with eccentric people - people who deal with the weird and wonderful.
"I know a chap in Essex, who said he had something that was up my street.
"It was looking a bit worse for wear, the nose cone was hanging off and there was no door.
"There was lots of mould and moss inside - but I immediately envisioned what I wanted it to be."
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The property is called "Alaya Airways" - named after Tamir's youngest daughter Alaya, five.
Alaya Airways - which is technically classified as a glamping pod - is available to rent for £170-a-night.
Tamir said: "It's a very very cool experience.
"The feedback so far has been good, people seem to love it."