Global Airlines is a virtual airline, meaning it does not have an AOC and requires another approved airline to operate. It was founded in 2023 by James Asquith, who rescued a former China Southwest A380 from the Mojave Desert (USA).
The initiative opted for the exclusive use of the Airbus A380, the first of which departed from Beja (Portugal) bound for Barcelona, where part of our T4AV team eagerly awaited its arrival to photograph it during its landing and subsequent departure to Berlin.
The airline operated by HiFly rescued this China Southwest aircraft from the Mojave Desert in the USA.
Snapshot capturing the moment of the arrival of the first plane after crossing the Atlantic.
Three more Airbus A380s are planned to join the fleet, one of which is currently in storage in Tarbes, France. We have no record of the acquisition of the rest yet. The company is banking on this model, while the rest are planning to replace it with more cost- and fuel-competitive twin-engine models, even though it has recovered and put its stored aircraft into service due to the demands of the project, namely the lack of aircraft following successive delivery delays from the main manufacturers.
The CEO advocates a very clear idea: not to make the same mistakes as the other airlines with which its founder has flown, and where he has personally observed flaws and shortcomings on board. He has a strong commitment to offering excellent service. However, during the course of his first commercial flight, this service philosophy was conspicuously absent, with poor onboard service, as cited in various gurus’ articles and videos.
I second the words of one of the main influencers on board that flight: it’s an exciting and motivating project for future generations. There’s a lot of effort and enthusiasm invested in this complicated challenge. They’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, but we must give them a chance and time to gain experience.
Everyone agreed: there’s a lot of room for improvement, especially regarding onboard service. Perhaps the company’s first critical decision is to replace HI-fly Malta. This operator specializes in charter flights, where quality standards and the levels of excellence demanded by the CEO, whose repeated promise was to provide passengers with a unique experience, are not the same.
On April 15, it launched its first operational flight between Glasgow and New York City Airport. Subsequent scheduled flights will connect JFK Airport, this time with Manchester.
A new opportunity for the SuperJumbo?
Except for Emirates, a staunch defender of the A380, whose CEO proposed to Airbus to resume production of the halted giant in 2021, which is totally unfeasible, the choice of this aircraft by Global is surprising a priori. Global was founded in July 2021 by James Asquith, a young entrepreneur with a clear “globetrotter” profile, an inveterate traveler who has already visited 196 countries at the age of 24. As he describes on the corporate website of his Airline, this wealth of experiences accumulated during his countless trips has allowed him to become a great connoisseur of the service offered by commercial airlines and he claims to be disappointed by the bad experiences he has accumulated on board hundreds of commercial flights.
