Cabin Comforts

When the Boeing Business Jet made its debut in 1997, the manufacturer suggested that customers would put about $5 million to $7 million into the interior. Instead, the company discovered that owners were investing as much as $17 million to get everything they wanted, even if that meant adding weight and reducing the airplane's range. It seems nobody wanted to plunk down $51 million or so for a private jet and then settle for a passenger compartment with coach-class amenities.