Global Airlines Makes First Official Transatlantic Flight with Airbus A380
Global Airlines has officially launched its transatlantic service with the first-ever flight of its Airbus A380 on Thursday May 15. This marks a significant milestone for the airline, founded by James Asquith, whose startup has faced skepticism from critics questioning whether it could ever take to the skies.
The A380 took off from Glasgow at 11:34 a.m. local time, and is expected to land at New York’s JFK Airport around 1 p.m. ET. The highly anticipated launch attracted travel journalists, influencers, and aviation enthusiasts from across the globe to witness the historic event.
Initially, economy tickets for the flight were priced as high as £780 (approximately $1,000), but slow sales led to discounts, with return fares now listed at £380. Business class tickets were priced at £1,999 (around $2,660), and first-class tickets were sold for £2,999 (around $3,990).
According to The Independent’s Simon Calder, the flight carried about 170 passengers, which is just a third of the aircraft’s full capacity.
Global Airlines’ Ambitious Journey
Thursday’s flight is a major achievement for Global Airlines, but it still faces significant hurdles to gain widespread acceptance in the highly competitive transatlantic travel market. The Airbus A380 flight operated under the registration 9H-GLOBL, a 12-year-old aircraft previously owned by China Southern Airlines before being stored at California’s Mojave Boneyard. After being refurbished, the aircraft made its first transatlantic journey last May, traveling from Glasgow to the U.S. The flight received massive attention, becoming the most-tracked flight on Flightradar24 with more than 40,000 people following its journey at its peak.
James Asquith, the 36-year-old founder of Global Airlines, rose to fame in 2013 when he became the youngest person to visit every country in the world. He later founded Holiday Swap, a platform for travelers to book accommodation. Asquith’s vision for Global Airlines is to bring back the golden age of air travel with an “elevated service” offering that includes luxury experiences like Blacklane chauffeur transfers and caviar dining in business class. However, some ambitious ideas, such as the “gamer class” with PlayStation and Xbox consoles, were scrapped.
Despite some of its ideas not fully materializing, including the much-discussed “sky pub” (a social space with limited features), Asquith remains optimistic. “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 stated on Instagram.
Challenges and Critics
Despite its ambitions, Global Airlines has faced challenges, especially with the high operating costs of the A380. The aircraft’s four engines require significant fuel consumption, and filling hundreds of seats on each flight can be challenging. The airline has been paying Hi Fly Malta, a charter airline, to operate its first flights, with tickets sold through the travel agent Travelopedia.
However, Asquith’s long-term vision for the airline includes more aircraft and an expanded service offering. He is committed to overcoming the hurdles and proving critics wrong. “It’s taken several years, but we finally made it,” he said.
Global Airlines’ Upcoming Schedule
Following the maiden flight, 9H-GLOBL is scheduled to return from New York on Monday. The A380 will also fly from Manchester, England to JFK on May 21 and return on May 25.
While still in the early stages, Global Airlines has already shown that it can make its mark in the industry. The airline’s journey is far from over, but with its first successful flight, it’s one step closer to reshaping transatlantic air travel.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com