Global Airlines second aircraft? Airline teases Airbus A340 as A380 remains grounded
December 3, 2025
Global Airlines has quietly unveiled what appears to be its second aircraft, an Airbus A340-300 registered 9H-SUN, wearing what looks at first glance like a blue version of the airline’s livery.
In reality, the jet retains Hi Fly’s standard blue-and-white scheme with the Global title applied across the upper fuselage and its globe logo on the tail. Even so, the appearance of the aircraft marks a fresh step for the start-up, suggesting it is sticking with four engines while its A380 remains tied up in maintenance.
Global Airlines’ new A340: what we know about 9H-SUN
According to planespotters.net data, the A340 first flew in October 2000. It began service with AOM French Airlines before transferring to AirLib and SriLankan Airlines. Hi Fly took ownership in January 2016 and continues to operate it under the Maltese register.
Despite its new look, the 25-year-old Airbus A340 still seems to be operating flights for Hi Fly. Last month, it completed several rotations between Cape Town and Wolfs Fang, as part of Hi Fly’s seasonal Antarctica missions. Today, it is scheduled to fly a rotation from Amsterdam to Paramaribo.
The jet’s arrival comes as Global attempts to build more operational resilience. It’s A380, 9H-GLOBL, flew a handful of high-profile transatlantic services earlier this year, but the airline has yet to launch sustained scheduled flying.
Why Global Airlines is turning to a Hi Fly-operated A340
Although Global Airlines has been fairly quiet since its inaugural flights earlier this year, CEO James Asquith explained in a LinkedIn video that the company has been ‘working relentlessly’ on a range of tasks that are all taking time.
He said this includes working towards its own AOC, coping with the MRO delays that are keeping its A380 grounded, and building a fleet of aircraft, which would make more regular flights possible. The fleet of aircraft seems to be the main sticking point when it comes to launching more regular flights.
Speaking to Simple Flying, Asquith said, “It would be reckless to be operating regular flights on minimal aircraft. A [grounded aircraft] situation is always going to happen… That would be a completely different set of headlines if flights got cancelled and you didn’t have backup aircraft.”
The A340’s appearance suggests Global is looking for a buffer before it scales up operations. Not many other A380s are out of work and in a serviceable condition, so perhaps we could see more A340s in Global liveries as the airline pushes towards regular services.
Asquith acknowledged the difficulties of bringing an older A380 back into service, admitting that, “Some of the goals we set were really aspirational, and some would always prove just a little stretch too far.”
He added that the aircraft is “waiting patiently now for its next flights”, but without revealing when those might be. “Everyone in aviation knows just how complicated this is,” he said, emphasising that Global has been focusing on “building more blocks for a company that can indeed fly more.”
What the A340 means for Global Airlines’ 2026 plans
The tone of Asquith’s message was clear: Global still intends to fly, still wants to build a fleet and still aims to secure an AOC, but major milestones have shifted further into 2026. In that context, the A340 serves as a pragmatic bridge, offering physical visibility for the brand and a potential operational fallback.
Whether 9H-SUN becomes a regular fixture or a temporary stopgap, its appearance signals that Global Airlines is not stepping back. True to form, it is pressing on with another four-engine widebody, even if it comes via Hi Fly and wears only a partial Global identity.
Featured image: James Asquith / Global Airlines
