You may boast about that limited-edition Hermes bag you just bought.

But owning this Hermes-fitted helicopter will give you true bragging rights.

For a cool $5.6 million euros ($11.7million), this status symbol from Eurocopter can be yours.

Sliding doors open to reveal an interior configuration that is aesthetic, light-filled and unexpectedly spacious.

The cabin, clad from floor to ceiling in signature Hermes canvas, is completely redesigned to maximise space.

The seats are all handcrafted and upholstered in calf leather.

This designer helicopter was launched last October, but there have been no takers yet, although negotiations are still ongoing.

Luxury or VIP helicopters such as this Hermes helicopter have become the latest way to travel for key executives who are fed up with traffic jams and delays, Eurocopter said.

These savvy travellers use helicopters to shuttle within and across cities, and are able to land almost anywhere where there's a helipad.

However, with the current airspace restrictions in Singapore, landing a helicopter on top of, say, UOB Plaza to get to work is not possible - at least for now.

Even so, the company hopes to tap into the expected influx of high net-worth individuals here when the two integrated resorts open.

After all, some casinos in Macau have helipads for super-rich clients who fly in from neighbouring countries, Eurocopter said.

Eurocopter has a subsidiary with a hanger at Loyang Way, which sells helicopters to clients in the region, such as from Indonesia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

The facility also provides training for pilots and the maintenance of clients' helicopters.

The Singapore subsidiary started off supplying military helicopters to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) some 30 years ago.

Today, the sale of civilian helicopters make up more than 50 per cent of Eurocopter's business worldwide.

About 27 civilian helicopters were sold in this part of South-east Asia in 2007, compared to 14 the year before.

The company sold 802 helicopters worldwide last year, compared to 615 in 2006.

Eurocopter attributed the business growth to increased oil prices which fuelled offshore operations, the post-9/11 increase in police helicopters for surveillance purposes, and a growing pool of the super-rich.

High-fliers who want custom-made VIP helicopters can get them here.

A Eurocopter spokesman said: 'It has become more comfortable travelling on a helicopter. In the past, it was very noisy.

'Now, you get an air-conditioned cabin with a telephone, personal computers and you can even have a meeting onboard.'

A basic helicopter without frills would set you back about one million euros, but a custom-made one would start from about twice that.

No request is too silly, without compromising safety of course; it only depends on how deep your pockets are.

Usual requests include leather upholstery, a top-of-the-line sound system, a bar counter and even a toilet for the bigger helicopters, Eurocopter said.

You can even gold-plate all the metallic components in the cabin.

Thai company Advance Aviation had bought four VIP helicopters worth more than 15 million euros ($30million) in total from Eurocopter South-east Asia in the past year. The last deal was sealed at the Singapore Airshow, which ended yesterday.

Advance Aviation is one of three helicopter operators in Thailand, and the only one that specially caters to the VIP market.

Its first helicopter, delivered last month, is fully booked till March.

This is even though it costs a hefty US$2,500 ($3,500) per flight-hour.

Advance Aviation's vice chairman, Mr Chai Nasylvanta, said its clients charter the helicopter to travel within Bangkok, avoiding the notorious traffic jams in the city.

Market Demand

Mr Nasylvanta was so surprised with the demand that he has booked more helicopters.

The helicopters will be used mainly for corporate clients and in the future, for tourists in resort areas such as Chiang Mai and Phuket.

'There's suppressed demand in the market in Thailand. It's the first time there's such a service offered and I think people are now ready to use this service,' he said.

'We had an American customer who managed to visit three of his plants in one day. By car, this would not be possible.

'There's a perception that it's a luxurious, lifestyle consumption, but it is more of a functional product because it is a more efficient mode of transport, saves the clients' time, and improve their quality of life.'

Business professor Terence Fan from the Singapore Management University said there's growth in the VIP charter market in Asia primarily because of the growing affluence.

Mr Fan's areas of interest include the aviation, transport and logistics industries.

He said: 'Some people want some exclusivity, that's why they fly first-class. But they're still not satisfied because they have to wait and clear airport customs.

'This VIP kind of aviation will give these people the privacy and flexibility they want.'

He said that the scope for such services in Singapore may be limited because of our restrictive airspace and geography.

The other scope for such helicopter chartering here is perhaps for sightseeing purposes, he said.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Feb 26, 2008.