Global Airlines takes to the skies with maiden transatlantic flight
British startup, Global Airlines, has taken off for its debut transatlantic flight to New York’s JFK this morning, departing from Glasgow just after 11.30 am local time.
May 15, 2025
British startup, Global Airlines, has taken off for its debut transatlantic flight to New York’s JFK this morning, departing from Glasgow just after 11.30 am local time.
The flight, operated by Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly on an Airbus A380, marks a milestone for the British carrier. Founder and CEO, James Asquith, launched the airline in 2023 and has previously said he plans to recreate the “Golden Age of travel” with the focus on service, an “elevated passenger experience” and a fleet comprised exclusively of A380 aircraft.
Asquith’s original plan was to operate a fleet of A380s on scheduled flights from London Gatwick to North America before opening up a wider network. He had also originally planned to launch flights in the summer of 2024. While this original deadline wasn’t met and the one off “Experience” return flights from Glasgow to New York, followed by return flights from Manchester to New York a week later, might not be the regular scheduled operations that Asquith originally planned, he has achieved more than many thought he would.
He has also secured the backing of James Hogan’s advisory firm, Knighthood Global, as a shareholder and advisor. Hogan previously served as group president and chief executive of the Etihad Aviation Group where he oversaw the development of Etihad Airways from a $300 million airline and its transformation into a travel and tourism group valued at more than $20 billion.
Global Airlines currently owns two Airbus A380s – the launch aircraft that is flying today, 9H-GLOBL, is 12 years old and was previously operated by China Southern. The second, formerly flown by Singapore Airlines is currently stored at Lourdes in southwest France.
The aircraft has a total of 506 passenger seats with eight in first class, 70 in business, 428 in economy. The flights were originally being sold at around £800 in economy but were slashed to less than half that last week at £380 return. With 20 seats left in business two weeks ago, Global Airlines also launched a “flash sale” with business class seats selling at less than £1,000 each way. Once it’s landed in New York, 9H-GLOBL will stay parked up at JFK for four days before returning to the UK.
Inside the cabin interior features a beige and red interior with Asquith revealing on Linkedin that he has faced “many challenges and complexities with the cabin refurbishment.” However, he also said that while “supply chain issues are hurting everyone it’s clear that any airline launching a new cabin is being hit with extensive delays , that is industry wide… Regardless, I am really proud of what we have done in a short space of time.”
Passengers checking in for this morning’s flight were greeted at Glasgow by a red, white blue and gold (the Global Airlines colours) balloon arch and cupcakes.
Things might not have gone exactly as planned. Supply chain challenges have created setbacks for the cabin’s interior refurbishment and Global Airlines is still awaiting its own operating certificate from UK authorities, hence HI Fly handling its flights. Tickets for the maiden transatlantic flights could only be booked through a travel agency Travelopedia on GA.flights and the Global Airlines’ website currently displays a holding page saying a new site will land soon. Despite these setbacks, Asquith has stayed somewhat on track with his mission and acknowledges that he could have been “more realistic” with his initial plans. However, his resilience is undeniable and there’s no denying the A380 has a cult appeal. For those who have dismissed Asquith’s ambitious “childhood” dream there are plenty who are rooting for him.
Like it or not Global Airlines is certainly creating a buzz. Let’s hope Asquith can channel that momentum beyond these maiden transatlantic charter flights and fulfil his ambition to serve a global network that redefines luxury air travel.
