Latest news with #9H-GLOBL
The Irish Sun
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
New UK airline with cheap US fares is ‘parked' after just TWO flights – with people fearing it's been scrapped for good
A BRAND new UK airline's only plane has been stored after just two commercial flights, raising questions over the airline's future. 3 Global Airlines' only aircraft has been stored in Tarbes, France Credit: Reddit It made its inaugural flight on May 19 from Glasgow Airport to New York's JFK, returning four days later. It's only other journey was from Manchester Airport and Global Airlines' only plane '9H-GLOBL' has now been parked at Tarbes Airport in France, which is the largest aircraft storage facility in Europe. The facility is usually used for long-term storage. Read more on travel inspo Tarbes is often used by airlines to store or recycle aircraft with aviation news site In a LinkedIn post, the airline said: "After completing the latest maintenance in Dresden, 9H-GLOBL will be heading to Tarbes to park until it is time to head off to the next stage of heavy maintenance. "It's always great to see her in the sky and it won't be long before she is up in the clouds once again on the way to the next adventure." Tarbes Airport is often referred to as an 'aircraft boneyard' or Most read in News Travel Boneyard facilities are often used to store aircraft while they receive maintenance. Other aircraft may be disassembled and parts sold before planes are then scrapped. Global Airlines Take-Off According to Simple Flying, Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport near the French Pyrenees, is the most notable boneyard in France. TARMAC Aerosave operates at the airport, to store, maintain and recycle aircraft and can handle over 100 aircraft at any one time. One person said on Reddit: "Love the A380, sucks to see one going back to storage and when looking at the news surrounding Global Airlines, I'm not sure if we'll see this Another user added: "They were never an airline in the first place - they don't have an air certificate, their recent 'flights' earlier this year were just PR exercises with HiFly operating the plane on their behalf." A third user commented: "How does it need heavy check already?" The Global Airlines website still states that it will be "landing soon" with "a new website and news of the first flights on 9H-GLOBL to 3 As a result, people have started to question what it means for the airline's future Credit: Alamy However, if you try to access the 'story' page about the The airline previously pledged to take travelled back to the 'Golden Age' of travel and is the second airline to operate an Airbus 380 secondhand. Return economy flights were £778, 95 per cent more expensive than a standard £399 British Airways seat. However, slow sales saw this price more than halved. Now with the aircraft in storage, it is unclear when and if it will fly again. Will the airline take off? Lisa Minot, The Sun's head of travel weighs in. IT'S being billed -by its millionaire owner - as a game-changing new airline that will revolutionise the passenger experience. But despite the lofty ambitions of its founder James Asquith - and its first commercial flight today from Glasgow to New York - the plain fact remains, it is simply not a functioning airline yet. With just two fixed-date, charter flights from Glasgow and another - from Manchester later this month, the airline does not yet have the necessary permits - or slots - to fulfill its original ambition of launching regular scheduled flights from Gatwick to New York. It is also taking on the big boys of the UK and US aviation industry on the most popular transatlantic route. Asquith is looking to offer a revolutionary new service by using the huge Airbus A380 but Global's only functioning plane - flying on the Glasgow inaugural today - is a 12-year-old A380 that was owned by China Southern. Despite promising five different classes on the plane - including a much vaunted 'gamer class' that would sit between premium economy and business class and feature pods where passengers could play Xbox and PS5s - the aircraft taking off this week will feature just the original three classes if flew as a China Southern outfit - first, business and economy. The London to New York route is lucrative for the legacy airlines like British Airways and Virgin as the number of business class passengers mean it can bring in decent profits. Global Airline's plane will have fewer premium seats than its competitors on an older plane - and right now can't even offer scheduled flights or regular departures. While competition is always good for passengers, Global has a mountain to climb before it can consider itself a serious alternative to the traditional carriers. It will be interesting to see if the ambitions translate into a real game-changer of a service. An abandoned UK airport is set to reopen its doors after a decade in a £500m revamp – and could offer Ryanair and easyJet flights. Plus, a 3 The airline claims that 'it won't be long before she [the plane] is up in the clouds once again' Credit: Wikipedia
Scottish Sun
23-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
New UK airline with cheap US fares is ‘parked' after just TWO flights – with people fearing it's been scrapped for good
Plus, The Sun's Lisa Minot weighs in on the potential success of the airline GROUNDED New UK airline with cheap US fares is 'parked' after just TWO flights – with people fearing it's been scrapped for good Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRAND new UK airline's only plane has been stored after just two commercial flights, raising questions over the airline's future. Global Airlines, founded by 36-year-old British multimillionaire James Asquith, has been placed in storage in France after just two return flights. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Global Airlines' only aircraft has been stored in Tarbes, France Credit: Reddit It made its inaugural flight on May 19 from Glasgow Airport to New York's JFK, returning four days later. It's only other journey was from Manchester Airport and New York on May 21, returning May 25. Global Airlines' only plane '9H-GLOBL' has now been parked at Tarbes Airport in France, which is the largest aircraft storage facility in Europe. The facility is usually used for long-term storage. Tarbes is often used by airlines to store or recycle aircraft with aviation news site Simple Flying claiming it is the place aircraft go 'when the time comes'. In a LinkedIn post, the airline said: "After completing the latest maintenance in Dresden, 9H-GLOBL will be heading to Tarbes to park until it is time to head off to the next stage of heavy maintenance. "It's always great to see her in the sky and it won't be long before she is up in the clouds once again on the way to the next adventure." Tarbes Airport is often referred to as an 'aircraft boneyard' or 'aircraft graveyard'. Boneyard facilities are often used to store aircraft while they receive maintenance. Other aircraft may be disassembled and parts sold before planes are then scrapped. Global Airlines Take-Off According to Simple Flying, Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport near the French Pyrenees, is the most notable boneyard in France. TARMAC Aerosave operates at the airport, to store, maintain and recycle aircraft and can handle over 100 aircraft at any one time. One person said on Reddit: "Love the A380, sucks to see one going back to storage and when looking at the news surrounding Global Airlines, I'm not sure if we'll see this A380 returning to service." Another user added: "They were never an airline in the first place - they don't have an air certificate, their recent 'flights' earlier this year were just PR exercises with HiFly operating the plane on their behalf." A third user commented: "How does it need heavy check already?" The Global Airlines website still states that it will be "landing soon" with "a new website and news of the first flights on 9H-GLOBL to New York JFK". 3 As a result, people have started to question what it means for the airline's future Credit: Alamy However, if you try to access the 'story' page about the airline - you get a '404 - page not found' error. The airline previously pledged to take travelled back to the 'Golden Age' of travel and is the second airline to operate an Airbus 380 secondhand. Return economy flights were £778, 95 per cent more expensive than a standard £399 British Airways seat. However, slow sales saw this price more than halved. Now with the aircraft in storage, it is unclear when and if it will fly again. Will the airline take off? Lisa Minot, The Sun's head of travel weighs in. IT'S being billed -by its millionaire owner - as a game-changing new airline that will revolutionise the passenger experience. But despite the lofty ambitions of its founder James Asquith - and its first commercial flight today from Glasgow to New York - the plain fact remains, it is simply not a functioning airline yet. With just two fixed-date, charter flights from Glasgow and another - from Manchester later this month, the airline does not yet have the necessary permits - or slots - to fulfill its original ambition of launching regular scheduled flights from Gatwick to New York. It is also taking on the big boys of the UK and US aviation industry on the most popular transatlantic route. Asquith is looking to offer a revolutionary new service by using the huge Airbus A380 but Global's only functioning plane - flying on the Glasgow inaugural today - is a 12-year-old A380 that was owned by China Southern. Despite promising five different classes on the plane - including a much vaunted 'gamer class' that would sit between premium economy and business class and feature pods where passengers could play Xbox and PS5s - the aircraft taking off this week will feature just the original three classes if flew as a China Southern outfit - first, business and economy. The London to New York route is lucrative for the legacy airlines like British Airways and Virgin as the number of business class passengers mean it can bring in decent profits. Global Airline's plane will have fewer premium seats than its competitors on an older plane - and right now can't even offer scheduled flights or regular departures. While competition is always good for passengers, Global has a mountain to climb before it can consider itself a serious alternative to the traditional carriers. It will be interesting to see if the ambitions translate into a real game-changer of a service. An abandoned UK airport is set to reopen its doors after a decade in a £500m revamp – and could offer Ryanair and easyJet flights. Plus, a major airline has launched new UK flights to a popular African holiday destination – and breaks are just as cheap as Spain.
Metro
22-07-2025
- Business
- Metro
Airline founded by UK millionaire 'parks' only plane — after two return flights
From Richard Branson to Elon Musk, powerful men have long been launching themselves into the skies. But Global Airlines, founded by 36-year-old British multimillionaire James Asquith, has found itself grounded after just two return flights. The new UK carrier made its maiden journey on May 19, departing from Glasgow Airport in Scotland for New York's JFK, with a return flight four days later. A second journey from Manchester Airport to New York took place on May 21 and returned on May 25. Global pledged to take passengers back to the 'Golden Age' of travel, delivering premium service on the world's largest passenger plane: the double-decker A380. But even before take-off, the plan was on shaky ground. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Initially, return economy fares were £778, 95% more expensive than a comparative a standard £399 British Airways seat. However, sluggish sales saw those prices more than halved. And now, Global's only plane, 9H-GLOBL, is currently parked up in Tarbes Airport in France. Home to the largest aircraft storage facility in Europe, it's typically used for long-term storage. Tarbes also serves as an aircraft recycling centre, the place where aircraft go 'when the time comes', according to Simple Flying. Global Airlines shared the news on Instagram, but insisted it 'won't be long before [the plane] is up in the clouds once again on the way to the next adventure.' A statement said: 'After completing the latest maintenance in Dresden, 9H-GLOBL will be heading to Tarbes to park until it is time to head off to the next stage of heavy maintenance.' From the beginning, Global Airlines has raised eyebrows among aviation insiders, who questioned whether its business model — using big, old, expensive A380s — is sustainable. And the latest news is only adding to the skepticism. So — as its only plane is parked up for the foreseeable, what's Global Airlines all about, and will they fly again? Metro approached Global Airlines, and a spokesperson stressed that the carrier is very much alive and well. 'The aircraft has not gone to storage,' they said. 'It's just parking in Tarbes. We know the people there well, and it was the perfect place for us to stop off until the next hangar slot is ready for us.' Global says that people have chosen to 'leap to conclusions and got it very wrong.' The spokesperson added: 'There really isn't anything to see here – an aircraft needs to park somewhere and Tarbes has a lot of experience looking after A380's so it makes it the perfect place for now.' While it's unclear what its next steps will be, Global said: 'The plans remain for the aircraft to get the next round of maintenance done and then move on to the next round of operations in due course. 'Meanwhile, various other matters are progressing behind the scenes, and we continue to move ahead with the Global journey.' When asked for specifics on what this plan might be, Global did not respond. Overall, aviation experts aren't convinced. The crux of the issue? Global's business plan is based on using a particular type of aircraft: the Airbus A380, the largest commercial passenger aircraft. These massive, double-decker planes are no longer being made; there are now less than 200 in circulation, after being discontinued in 2021. Today, Emirates remains the largest carrier of A380s. But across the board, they fell out of favour due to running costs. 'The A380 is a massive plane, with four engines, and space for lots of different classes,' Marina Efthymiou, Aviation expert and professor of aviation management at Dublin City University, tells Metro. 'Starting an airline is already incredibly expensive: you need to buy the planes, find the staff, and get your air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority, which can cost hundreds of thousands.' Which begs the question, why does James think he can build a business on these planes? While some Metro readers welcome the idea of travel being more comfortable for the masses, others have stated that it won't work. Or if it does, it's only a matter of time until money becomes an issue. You can read their thoughts here. And that's where the industry is stumped. The entrepreneur told The Independent that the A380s are actually Global's USP as 'people want the largest commercial aircraft in the world.' 'It's a passenger favourite,' he said. 'It's a crew favourite. It's a pilot favourite. And obviously an airport favourite as well.' He even cited the glamorous Pan Am flight attendants as a reference point for the kind of experience Global Airlines could offer both passengers and employees. As the world still digests the confusing news that an army of uber-rich celebrities headed off to space on a glorified hen-do, is this yet another example of a rich man offering the elite an extravagant way to take to the skies? 'It could be a case of 'boys with big toys',' says Marina. 'Maybe he just wanted to own an airline in the same way some men want a football club. 'But A380s aren't that prestigious anymore. They might be a novelty, and people might be curious, but in the aviation world, they're not that impressive.' And given the ratio of first-class passengers to economy, the idea that Global is only for the top 0.1%, doesn't quite ring true either. 'It would be easy to say he's just catering to an elite, but the majority of Global's passengers will be in economy, paying the lowest fares,' says Marina. Another problem with A380s is their load factor, which relates to how efficiently they are can fill available seats. 'The A380s can carry from around 500 to more than 800 people, depending on the configuration of seats,' says Marina. 'This is a huge amount of passengers, which even big airlines have problems filling. The average on a transatlantic flight route is about 250. 'Global could be flying with half-empty planes and there are already very thin profit margins when it comes to plane tickets. 'How long Global can survive, will depend on how rich James Asquith is, and how long he is able to afford operating at a loss.' When asked about the latest development that Global's plane is currently parked in a storage facility, Marina said it was a sign that 'this airline is not working.' She continued: 'They say the aircraft is being sent for heavy maintenance, but in any case, they're not doing much traffic.' The statistics are pretty bleak: over 18 months, the aircraft has only clocked up 62 hours of flight time, including test flights and trips for maintenance. 'What are their profit margins, considering how few flights they've taken?' Marina asks. When asked whether this could be the end of the road for Global, she said she couldn't speculate but added: 'At a minimum, the aircraft will be out for four to 10 weeks, and it's only just taken off. 'As a business model, it's not picking up.' Global is the brainchild of self-made UK millionaire, James Asquith, who became the youngest person to travel to all 196 countries, aged just 24. Already CEO and founder of Airbnb rival, Holiday Swap, James announced plans for his start-up airline back in 2022 — a dream he'd had since he was a child, growing up with pilot parents. In a world where Ryanair charges €55 for the simple pleasure of checking in at the airport, James has vowed that Global would 'bring back the golden age of air travel, with a modern flair.' In other words, that it will make flying glam again. For first-class passengers, that would mean 12ft long 'suites' with the potential for a double bed. Forgetting no subgenre of traveller, the airline even created a 'Gamer class', complete with Xbox and Playstations. However, that plan has since been dropped. More Trending Ambitious plans said flights would launch from London Gatwick in 2023, and that by 2025, a fleet of 100 planes would fly from European hubs too. However, as with most start-ups, not everything went according to plan. After the two transatlantic trips from the UK to NYC in May, no other flights are on sale. A version of this article was originally published on May 15. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: London's Oyster card prices to nearly double – full list of affected cards MORE: 'First-of-its-kind' Eurostar-style train to directly connect UK with Berlin and two more cities MORE: Our Travel Editors' picks of underrated destinations in the easyJet summer 2026 sale
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A startup airline with an Airbus A380 is making its first official flight across the Atlantic
The first official flight for Global Airlines' Airbus A380 took off on Thursday. James Asquith's startup has attracted many critics who doubted whether it would ever take to the skies. Global has to contend with a competitive market and develop a more refined offering. It's taken several years, but Global Airlines finally took to the skies on Thursday for its official launch flight. The Airbus A380 departed Glasgow at 11:34 a.m. local time and is scheduled to land at New York's JFK Airport around 1 p.m. ET. Travel journalists, influencers, and aviation enthusiasts descended on the Scottish city for the long-awaited event. Economy tickets were initially selling for as much as £780 (about $1,000), but it looks like slow sales prompted discounting. With the promotion, return fares were listed at £380. A business-class return ticket was on sale at £1,999 ($2,660), and for first class was £2,999 ($3,990). The Independent's Simon Calder reported that 170 passengers were believed to be on the flight — just a third of the plane's capacity. Thursday's flight is a huge step for Global, but it still has plenty of work ahead to convince its critics. A drama-free maiden flight will be one achievement. The flight is operated by 9H-GLOBL, a 12-year-old A380 previously owned by China Southern Airlines before being mothballed in California's Mojave boneyard. Global spent millions getting the plane ready for service before it made its first transatlantic flight last May, being ferried to Glasgow. It was the most-tracked flight on Flightradar24, with more than 40,000 people following its journey at its peak. The airline was founded by James Asquith, a 36-year-old who gained fame in 2013 when he became the youngest person to visit every country in the world. He then founded Holiday Swap, a platform for travelers to book accommodation. Critics have questioned Global's business plan, which wants a slice of the highly competitive transatlantic travel. The A380 is a particularly expensive plane to operate because its four engines use a lot of fuel, and there are hundreds of seats to fill. Global is paying Hi Fly Malta, a charter airline, to operate the first flights, with tickets sold through the travel agent Travelopedia. Asquith is hoping that his grand ambitions will help the airline break through. He wants to offer an "elevated service" that will take passengers "back to the golden age of travel." Business-class passengers can be transferred by a Blacklane chauffeur and dine on caviar in the air. However, Global cut more ambitious ideas like a "gamer class" with PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Its "sky pub," a social space aiming to take advantage of the A380's size, is little more than a few bottles on a shelf. "You're looking at many years to certify bigger social spaces and bars, so we will develop our social spaces even more when we have more aircraft in the sky," Asquith said in an Instagram post last month. Global Airlines may not yet be as refined as it would like, but it has already proved many doubters wrong by making its first flight. 9H-GLOBL is scheduled to return from New York on Monday. It's due to fly from Manchester, England to JFK on May 21 and return on May 25. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
A startup airline with an Airbus A380 is making its first official flight across the Atlantic
It's taken several years, but Global Airlines finally took to the skies on Thursday for its official launch flight. The Airbus A380 departed Glasgow at 11:34 a.m. local time and is scheduled to land at New York's JFK Airport around 1 p.m. ET. Travel journalists, influencers, and aviation enthusiasts descended on the Scottish city for the long-awaited event. Economy tickets were initially selling for as much as £780 (about $1,000), but it looks like slow sales prompted discounting. With the promotion, return fares were listed at £380. A business-class return ticket was on sale at £1,999 ($2,660), and for first class was £2,999 ($3,990). The Independent's Simon Calder reported that 170 passengers were believed to be on the flight — just a third of the plane's capacity. Thursday's flight is a huge step for Global, but it still has plenty of work ahead to convince its critics. A drama-free maiden flight will be one achievement. The flight is operated by 9H-GLOBL, a 12-year-old A380 previously owned by China Southern Airlines before being mothballed in California's Mojave boneyard. Global spent millions getting the plane ready for service before it made its first transatlantic flight last May, being ferried to Glasgow. It was the most-tracked flight on Flightradar24, with more than 40,000 people following its journey at its peak. The airline was founded by James Asquith, a 36-year-old who gained fame in 2013 when he became the youngest person to visit every country in the world. He then founded Holiday Swap, a platform for travelers to book accommodation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by James Asquith (@jamesasquith) Critics have questioned Global's business plan, which wants a slice of the highly competitive transatlantic travel. The A380 is a particularly expensive plane to operate because its four engines use a lot of fuel, and there are hundreds of seats to fill. Global is paying Hi Fly Malta, a charter airline, to operate the first flights, with tickets sold through the travel agent Travelopedia. Asquith is hoping that his grand ambitions will help the airline break through. He wants to offer an "elevated service" that will take passengers "back to the golden age of travel." Business-class passengers can be transferred by a Blacklane chauffeur and dine on caviar in the air. However, Global cut more ambitious ideas like a "gamer class" with PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Its "sky pub," a social space aiming to take advantage of the A380's size, is little more than a few bottles on a shelf. "You're looking at many years to certify bigger social spaces and bars, so we will develop our social spaces even more when we have more aircraft in the sky," Asquith said in an Instagram post last month. Global Airlines may not yet be as refined as it would like, but it has already proved many doubters wrong by making its first flight. 9H-GLOBL is scheduled to return from New York on Monday. It's due to fly from Manchester, England to JFK on May 21 and return on May 25.
