Gino Bertuccio: The Inaugural Guest of Etihad Airways’ The Residence

Meet Gino Bertuccio, a Miami-based entrepreneur who has secured his place in aviation history by purchasing the first ticket for Etihad Airways’ opulent onboard hotel suite, The Residence.

On December 27, Bertuccio will embark on Etihad’s inaugural A380 flight from Abu Dhabi to London, making him the first passenger to experience the world’s only private three-room suite on a commercial airplane.

The Residence offers a living room, a double bedroom, and an ensuite shower, all serviced by a butler trained at the Savoy Academy.

Bertuccio, a millionaire who runs a personal hygiene and cosmetics company, is also an aviation enthusiast, making him the perfect guest for The Residence, a groundbreaking innovation in luxury air travel.

Over the past 25 years, Bertuccio has flown on 22 inaugural and final flights in premium class cabins and has amassed a collection of airline memorabilia, including 2000 model airplanes.

In 2011, he was among the first passengers to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world’s first carbon-composite airliner, with All Nippon Airways (ANA).

“For the first time in my flying experience, I really don’t know what to expect, but I do know that flying in the Residence by Etihad will be a truly unique adventure and the pinnacle of luxury,” he said in a statement.

“I have high expectations. My only wish is that the flight was longer.”