'Flying whale' to travel around the world with tourists

London, Feb 3 : French designers are developing a luxury airship hotel, which will look like a flying whale.

The Massaud Studio is working with the French office of aeronautical research, Onera, to develop the airship named 'Manned Cloud'.

The airship would enable the passengers to visit exotic locations without the need for hotels. It will be equipped with a restaurant, library, gym, bar room and terraces with panoramic views.

Massaud head Jean-Marie Massaud says that the 690ft (210m) Manned Cloud will resemble "a whale that glides through the air".

The airship would tour 5,000km at its cruising height of 18,000ft with a top speed of 105mph and cruising at 81mph (146km/h). It will travel across various locations of Thailand and the Caribbean.

"The idea is that passengers can see fantastic places like Thailand and the Caribbean without the need to build ugly hotels everywhere," Times Online quoted Aurelie Ullrich, a spokeswoman, as saying.

"Travellers can see these places from the sky - but the hotel will also be able to land at locations along the way," she added.

The airship is expected to be in operation by 2020.

ANI