Guys, stop whatever you’re doing, it’s time to book an inaugural flight… or whatever you’d like to call this.
In this post:
Global Airlines plans May 2025 launch, or something
I’ve written extensively about Global Airlines, an “airline startup” that plans to fly Airbus A380s. Global Airlines has for a long time claimed that its inaugural flight would be around the corner, despite little progress when it comes to getting the regulatory approval needed to operate flights (instead, months and months have been spent repainting the company’s A380).
Well, there’s now an interesting update — Global Airlines has just started allowing people to reserve “VIP pre-sale” tickets for the inaugural flights, on this website. Here’s how the airline describes this:
The teams at Global and our partners invite you to reserve your seats on our UK inaugural flights, taking off in May 2025. By registering below, you’ll be one of the first people to be invited to book your tickets in a private pre-sale — 24 hours before they are released to the public. Secure your place in aviation history. Reserve your seats now to be in with a chance to be among the first to experience Global.
The claim is that there will be two inaugural itineraries, clearly intended more for a European customer base:
- Global Airlines will operate a Glasgow (GLA) to New York (JFK) itinerary, departing on May 15 and returning on May 19
- Global Airlines will operate a Manchester (MAN) to New York (JFK) itinerary, departing on May 21 and returning on May 25
It’s worth noting that Global Airlines isn’t operating these flights under its own air operator certificate, but instead, they’re being operated by Portuguese charter company Hi Fly. So presumably it’ll be Hi Fly pilots and flight attendants operating these flights… which makes you wonder what exactly Global Airlines has been doing flight attendant recruiting for. Hi Fly actually has experience with the A380, as the company briefly operated the world’s first secondhand A380.
Global Airlines’ pre-sale website has “Reserve Now” buttons. You then fill out a form with your name, phone number, email address, and which of the trips you want.
You then get an email saying that you have “successfully reserved your place in the pre-sale.”
So, how much will my inaugural first class ticket cost me? No clue, the airline hasn’t said!
What on earth is even going on here?!
I’ve long said that Global Airlines is an unserious company, and I still believe that. Is the A380 that the company acquired airworthy? Of course. Is Hi Fly an expert in operating flights, and capable of operating Global Airlines’ A380? Of course.
Do I think that Global Airlines will ever operate regularly scheduled flights under its own air operator certificate? If you ask me, it’s highly unlikely, because nothing about this company adds up, and the people behind it are pretty questionable, for reasons I’ve outlined here.
So, what’s going on with these two roundtrip inaugural flights from Glasgow and Manchester to New York? First of all, let’s see if tickets actually go on sale, rather than just this “VIP pre-sale.” As I’ve now, all that’s being done is that forms are being filled out.
I mean, at this point Global Airlines is about as close to accepting tickets as Global Ghana Airlines was, back in 2019. Who remembers that gem of an airline? Yes, according to the founder, the airline had to delay its inaugural flight because they accidentally hired “low altitude flight attendants” rather than “high altitude flight attendants,” and then they had to start over. Gosh, I hate when that happens!
Is it possible that these two Global Airlines itineraries actually operate? I’d peg the odds at maybe 25% that these two trips operate as planned, and that’s probably being generous. Like I said, the logistics here aren’t that complicated — the A380 is airworthy, Hi Fly is a reputable operator, etc.
That being said, what’s the point of these flights, exactly? It seems to me like this would basically just be an aviation geek trip, rather than anything testing commercial viability. I mean, we’re talking about a single roundtrip from Glasgow and Manchester to New York, with a four day stay on the ground, and a European point of sale.
Honestly, this all just keeps getting stranger, and I can’t wait to see how the coming weeks play out. If the inaugural actually happens, and assuming I’m not banned from this airline for my commentary, then you can bet I’ll be taking this flight!
To me, the biggest mystery with Global Airlines continues to be what the motive is for what’s going on here. If the people behind the company were serious about starting an airline, this isn’t how you’d go about it. Meanwhile I don’t see any obvious grift here, so it’s not like they’re fundraising super aggressively. It’s all very strange.
Bottom line
Global Airlines claims that it will launch in May 2025, with “VIP pre-sale” tickets becoming available soon. The company will for some reason launch two roundtrip itineraries to New York, each with a four day layover, out of Glasgow and Manchester. These will be operated in partnership with Hi Fly, so this doesn’t actually get the airline any closer to launching scheduled operations under its own air operator certificate.
What do you make of this Global Airlines VIP pre-sale situation?
Site already down?
Something outside of the general strangeness of GA makes me curious - although HiFly has operated the A380 in the past, their own A380 is also parked. HiFly’s entire fleet is Airbus which has a lot of flight deck commonality across types, and I presume they have some pilots that have multiple type ratings, but I do wonder when those pilots last actually FLEW an A380. Perhaps occasionally in the sim to keep their type rating current?
I can’t find the article about the Cabin
Imagine the cost of parking an A380 at JFK for nearly four full days...
The best flight from MAN since Concorde. Can’t wait.
I guess kind of related, does anyone remember Zed aerospace? Last I heard they were "delayed"....
https://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2023/04/08/two-miami-private-jet-sharing-start-ups-are-delayed-for-takeoff/
Hopefully they will be able to afford the fuel bill for the flight back lol
Let’s pray that the toilets actually work unlike air India
Lucky, it's a trap to lure you onboard. The aircraft will then divert to Cairo.
Entire ruse financed by the Egyptian gov!
Taking this flight will be the pinnacle of the many years of this blog. Do it.
I wonder if it’s a front/money laundering?
This has "Tesla Roadster deposit" vibes, written all over it.
Like Northern Pacific airline I suspect if this operates it'll only be a couple real flights. PLEASE Lucky make sure you're onboard to document it :)
How will they pay their non
existent staff ? They need a sales and service centre, customer relations to respond to all the the complaints, crew, a global distribution system for bookings. Money to settle compensation claims.
I would advise reading online reviews of the issuing company: TravelOpedia Ltd , they are not good!
Do they have U.S. DoT permits? Asking for a friend.
The extremely obvious grift is using the investor money to fund the expensive jetset lifestyle of James Asquieth, under the name of business expenses (previously under HomeAway, now under Global airlines).
While the airline may not have its own AOC yet, it is selling tickets under a CAA issued ATOL license (number 11087) in the name of GA Flights.
At this point of time, this project is far more legitimate than 99% of paper airlines ever get. I would not doubt that the flights in May will fly in some form.
They couldn't even get slots of gates at Gatwick?
*or gates
If you have a slot at Gatwick, you have access to gates and other airport facilities. That's what the slot signifies.
"Onboard the cabins have all been overhauled to give a brand-new look and feel." - we've put some stickers on the walls with our crappy logo
"The catering team has been busy preparing a new menu" - we've sourced some frozen ready meals from the local Tesco; First Class will get Uber Eats.
"There will be special ‘limited edition’ amenity kits in all cabins" - which we picked up from the party city liquidation
I think it's take the money and run.
The tickets will be sold by TravelOpedia Ltd under their ATOL certificate, so money will be protected. Presumably they're chartering the aircraft from Hi Fly who will operate it with their crew etc. So not contract with Global or funds going to them, presumably they'll get something from the TA !
Even this "inaugural" makes little sense.
Why are they keeping the A380 on the ground for four days, why didn't they operate MAN-JFK-GLA v.v. (could have reduced the time on the ground also to say 2 days) instead of having to position the aircraft from MAN to GLA.
Positioning phantom A380s is complicated and takes more time than usual.
Hopefully you used a fake email :)
senior.partner@skadden_arps.com
No thanks. I wouldn't fly on one of those disgusting fat French pigs if you paid me.
Slightly odd level of sheer anger at an aeroplane type but you do you.
ORD_is_my_second_moan is just sore because no-one bothers to fly the A380 to ORD any more.
Still unmedicated it seems?
I agree that it does look a little short to be elegant.
The idea was surely to extend it, but customers did not go for it.
Maybe they'll persuade an Emirates GLA to DXB flight to divert to JFK instead?
Fyre Festival, aviation style