Summary
- Global Airlines debuts its first A380 in Scotland, making Prestwick Airport history with the giant jet’s arrival.
- The Airbus A380 flew low and with landing gear down during its crossing, indicating potential equipment issues.
- Global Airlines plans to revolutionize flying with its Airbus A380 fleet, focusing on top-notch customer service and an unconventional flying experience.
UK startup Global Airlines, the startup that nobody ever believed would fly, has begun suspending disbelief as its first Airbus A380 touches down on British soil. The aircraft, carrying its new registration 9H-GLOBL, took off from Montreal at 03:30 EST this morning and touched down at Scotland’s Prestwick Airport just before 17:00 local time.
This flight was not just a first for Global Airlines but for Prestwick, too. Located around 30 miles southwest of Glasgow, it is the quieter of the city’s two airports, only really frequented by Ryanair for commercial services. Indeed, despite having a runway of almost 10,000 feet (9,797, to be exact), it has never seen the arrival of an Airbus A380 before.
Related
Which Passenger Planes Have The Shortest Takeoff Distance?
Let’s take a look at which commercial planes can operate from the smallest runways.
The A380 in question had been stored at Mojave Air and Space Port since December 2022, and last flew commercially in February 2020. It is an ex-China Southern superjumbo aged 11 and a half years. Having transferred ownership to Global Airlines in January this year, the aircraft took a couple of test flights in mid-February before embarking on its transatlantic crossing.
The journey really started yesterday, April 30th, as 9H-GLOBL took off from Mojave just before 06:00. It arrived in Montreal just before 16:00, where it stayed overnight before being refueled for its final leg.
A celebrated arrival
As the Airbus A380 emerged from the clouds above Scotland, press and plane spotters gathered on the airport outskirts to witness this special arrival. But as it drew closer, it became clear this was still very much a China Southern airplane in full livery. That was a disappointment, given some of the photos the airline has shared of A380s in its house livery, but it didn’t detract from the excitement of the moment.
Eagle-eyed spotters noted that the aircraft maintained a 27,000-foot altitude during the crossing, and kept its landing gear down for the flight. This suggests something wasn’t quite right with the equipment. Commentary on social media indicates that the landing gear needs replacing after so long in storage.
The giant jet should have continued on to Beja in Portugal, and finally to Malta, but was unable to complete the trip in one go due to the extra drag caused by the landing gear. The A380 also burns more fuel at lower altitude, meaning the stop in Prestwick was necessary.
At its peak, around 10,000 people were tracking the flight on Flightradar24, demonstrating the enthusiasm for this unusual airline startup. Global Airlines intends to do something no other airline has ever done before – to operate a fleet of Airbus A380s, and only Airbus A380s.
The Global Airlines business plan
Founded in 2021, Global Airlines is led by serial entrepreneur and travel personality James Asquith. It plans to have a hub in London, with early marketing materials suggesting it could target Gatwick. The exact operations of the airline are yet to be disclosed, but it has previously indicated it will function as a full-service carrier, with first and business class provision, and an aim to take the pain out of flying.
Photo: James Asquith
From the airline’s website,
“We are revolutionizing commercial flying. We’ve all suffered for far too long with long security queues, late flights, lost luggage, inedible food and constant poor customer service. Global Airlines offers fast relief from the aches and pains associated with commercial air travel. We bring joy at every interaction and delight at every touch point. Take a deep breath, welcome aboard.
“Whether you are flying for business or leisure, Global Airlines do things differently. From catering and customer relations through to scheduling and ground operations. Simply put we are unconstrained by the usual aviation paradigms.”
Related
Airbus A380 Startup Global Airlines: Everything You Need To Know
From the airline’s unconventional concept to the latest progress in acquiring A380s, there’s a lot to learn about Global Airlines.
The airline has shared that it plans to have approximately 471 seats onboard, and that it is targeting four A380s as its launch fleet. Around 470 seats is quite lightly loaded for an Airbus A380 – Emirates’ three-class A380s have closer to 500 seats on board, and that’s with 14 closed first class suites included.
Global announced at the end of 2023 that it would partner with London-based Factorydesign to create its interiors. That’s the same company that developed the Delta One Suites for the A330neo, Virgin Atlantic’s ‘The Loft’ in Upper on the A350, and some of Etihad’s highest-end products, including ‘The Residence.’
Photo: Global Airlines
The airline has previously mooted flying from London to New York and Los Angeles as initial routes. These are some of the most congested and competitive air routes in the world, so it will need to work hard to differentiate itself in terms of product, price, or both in order to find its passengers.
Without its own AOC in place, Global is working with Portuguese wet lease specialist Hi Fly to get its business plan going. That company remains the first (and only) to ever operate a second-hand A380, so it is in a good position to help this airline get off the ground. With the first A380 in the UK now, it looks like Global Airlines is really happening, despite all the odds.
