Latest news with #9H-GLOBL
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.
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Global Airlines set for its maiden charter with A380 from Glasgow
The UK-based startup is scheduled to operate a flight from Glasgow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Thursday, with the return leg landing back in Glasgow on Monday. The "special A380 flights' will be operated by Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly, which ferried the airline's superjumbo from Dresden in Germany to Beja in Portugal to allow it to undergo maintenance in January. Global's first A380 aircraft, registered as 9H-GLOBL, was greeted with a water cannon salute welcome after arriving at Glasgow Airport on Tuesday afternoon following a positioning flight from Berja. Ahead of the departure from Berja, US-based global flight tracking site AirNav Systems posted on X: "A new chapter in transatlantic travel is about to begin! 🛫 A new chapter in transatlantic travel is about to begin! Global Airlines' Airbus A380 is on its way to Glasgow as the airline gears up for its first passenger flight across the Atlantic on May 15. The double-decker jet is set to make headlines with this bold entry into… — AirNav Radar (@AirNavRadar) May 13, 2025 "Global Airlines' Airbus A380 is on its way to Glasgow as the airline gears up for its first passenger flight across the Atlantic on May 15. "The double-decker jet is set to make headlines with this bold entry into long-haul operations." FlightRadar24, the largest flight tracking network in the world, also took to X, posting: "The Global Airlines A380 in en-route to Glasgow ahead of the airline's inaugural transatlantic pax flight on May 15." Global Airlines has slashed prices for a seat on its maiden charter flight. Return ticket prices were originally set at £778 for economy, £3,700 for business, and £7,127 for first class. However, in a post on social networking platform LinkedIn, Global Founder and CEO James Asquith to offer reduced prices on the forthcoming flights. He wrote: "£380 return!!! We love our Global Traveller cabin (economy) on the Global A380."If anyone wants to jump onboard for one of the next 'A380 Experience' flights to JFK flights this month, you can get economy tickets for just £380 return." Asquith also shared a promo code which those wishing to book the flights could use to get the discount. Last week also saw Global announce that it contracted Knighthood Global, a consultancy and investment firm led by James Hogan, former President and CEO of Etihad Airways, as strategic advisers to support the next stages of its development towards operations. Knighthood Global said that Global intends to introduce further widebody aircraft in 2025 before announcing a timeline for scheduled operations. Global Airlines (Image: Global Airlines) Founded by UK entrepreneur James Asquith in 2021, Global Airlines aims to begin regular operations from London to New York City and Los Angeles, using a fleet of four Airbus A380s. The airline's mission is to take passengers back to the "Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service and products across all three cabins: First, Business and Global Traveller". Global took full ownership of its first A380, formerly operated by China Southern Airlines, in February 2024. Prior to that, the superjumbo was withdrawn from use and ferried to Mojave Air & Space Port in California in late 2022. The arrival at Prestwick, which drew a large crowd of aviation enthusiasts, marked the first time an Airbus A380 has landed at the nationalised airport. The flight also garnered significant interest online, with thousands tracking its journey on Flightradar24. While at Prestwick, the aircraft underwent a livery overhaul, with Airbourne Colours - Europe's only privately-owned aircraft painting specialists in commercial and corporate aircraft painting, repainting and refinishing - completing the initial phase of the new livery identity. The A380 then departed Prestwick for Dresden to undergo heavy maintenance - including mandatory inspections and component replacements - at Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering.
The Herald Scotland
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Here's what Global Airlines' new 'sky pub' looks like ahead of debut
Long-haul startup Global Airlines has unveiled a first look at its 'Sky Bar' on board its A380 aircraft ahead of its maiden charter flight from Scotland. Global is to operate a flight from Glasgow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York tomorrow (Thursday) with the return leg landing in Glasgow on Monday. The airline will then operate a flight from Manchester Airport to JFK on Wednesday, May 21, before returning to Manchester on Sunday, May 25. The "special A380 flights' will be operated by Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly, which ferried the airline's superjumbo from Dresden in Germany to Beja in Portugal to allow it to undergo maintenance in January. Ahead of the departure from Glasgow, Global Airlines founder James Asquith took to social networking site LinkedIn to share a fresh image of the 'Sky Pub' on board the company's first aircraft, registered as 9H-GLOBL. (Image: LinkedIn) Billing it as a new standout feature of the plane, Asquith said previously that the 'Sky Pub' was "a fun idea that we came up with" and "the best thing about the extra space that the a380 affords you". He added: "We will certainly add more as we go, but for anyone that is familiar with Major Mods on an aircraft, 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…it's all bit by bit progression." The airline's mission is to take passengers back to the "Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service and products across all three cabins: First, Business and Global Traveller". Global took full ownership of its first A380, formerly operated by China Southern Airlines, in February 2024. Prior to that, the superjumbo was withdrawn from use and ferried to Mojave Air & Space Port in California in late 2022. READ MORE:
Glasgow Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Airline unveils interior of first A380 and 'Sky Pub' ahead of debut
It comes days after the UK-based airline launched ticket sales for its much-anticipated launch flights next month. Global said it plans to operate a flight from Glasgow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Thursday, May 15, with the return leg landing in Glasgow on Monday, May 19. The airline will then operate a flight from Manchester Airport to JFK on Wednesday, May 21, before returning to Manchester on Sunday, May 25. The "special A380 flights' will be operated by Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly, which ferried the airline's superjumbo from Dresden in Germany to Beja in Portugal to allow it to undergo maintenance in January. Ahead of the departure from Glasgow, Global Airlines founder James Asquith took to social networking site LinkedIn to shared images and video footage of the interior of the company's first aircraft, registered as 9H-GLOBL. He wrote: "Fresh new look onboard Global Airlines. "Just to lift the lid on one of the many, many challenges and complexities in aviation, it's the cabin refurbishment side. "Supply chain issues are hurting everyone, and I think it's clear that any airline launching a new cabin is being hit with extensive delays, that is industry wide, and we faced delays on materials ourselves. "Regardless, I'm really proud of what we have done in a short space of time, and of course, this is just the start for us. Remember the first product on Virgin in the early days…it only got better and better with time." Asquith also took the opportunity to tease a new standout feature of the plane - The Global 'Sky Pub'. He added: "A fun idea that we came up with, and this is, in my opinion the best thing about the extra space that the a380 affords you. We will certainly add more as we go, but for anyone that is familiar with Major Mods on an aircraft, 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…it's all bit by bit progression." "To do more would mean a multi-year wait, and we can't wait to get flying, but I couldn't be happier with our Global Traveller (economy) cabin." Founded by Asquith in 2021, Global Airlines aims to begin regular operations from London to New York City and Los Angeles, using a fleet of four Airbus A380s - the world's largest passenger airliner. Global Airlines aims to begin regular operations from London to New York City and Los Angeles, using a fleet of four Airbus A380s. (Image: Global Airlines) The airline's mission is to take passengers back to the "Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service and products across all three cabins: First, Business and Global Traveller". Global took full ownership of its first A380, formerly operated by China Southern Airlines, in February 2024. Prior to that, the superjumbo was withdrawn from use and ferried to Mojave Air & Space Port in California in late 2022. In May 2024, Global Airlines debuted its first A380 in Scotland after it arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport from Mojave via Montreal. The arrival at Prestwick, which drew a large crowd of aviation enthusiasts, marked the first time an Airbus A380 has landed at the nationalised airport. The flight also garnered significant interest online, with thousands tracking its journey on flight tracking site Flightradar24. While at Prestwick, the aircraft underwent a livery overhaul, with Airbourne Colours - Europe's only privately-owned aircraft painting specialists in commercial and corporate aircraft painting, repainting and refinishing - completing the initial phase of the new livery identity. The A380 then departed Prestwick for Dresden in October last year to undergo heavy maintenance - including mandatory inspections and component replacements - at Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering.
