The UK-based aviation startup, Global Airlines, has announced a delay in its launch from 2024 to 2025, according to The Business Insider.
The company, which had initially planned to commence Airbus A380 flights between New York and London by summer 2024, has cited operational and maintenance timelines as the reason for the postponement.
A spokesperson for Global Airlines informed FlightGlobal that the company's first aircraft, a double-decker registered as 9H-GLOBL, is still undergoing a comprehensive paint job, interior refurbishment, and mandatory maintenance checks. "The livery is being painted, and the cabin plans are progressing," the spokesperson said. The maintenance work, set to begin in the coming weeks, will bring the airline "a step closer toward launching passenger flights next year."
The spokesperson further clarified that the revised operational timeline of 2025 "is the target" and that the company is "working with various partners to achieve this." Global Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for additional comments.
Since its inception, Global Airlines has been promoting a luxurious interior for its A380, which is slated to accommodate 471 seats across economy, business, and first-class sections. The company has so far procured one of the four A380s it intends to operate, but has not disclosed the purchase price. The first aircraft, an 11-year-old superjumbo, was previously operated by China Southern Airways.
The aircraft had been stationed in a boneyard in the Mojave Desert from December 2022 until April 2024. It was then transported to Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland for the necessary refurbishments to enter commercial service.
Global Airlines founder, James Asquith, expressed his excitement about the project, stating, "This was meant to be impossible, but what a super-human group of people who have a burning passion to make aviation better." Asquith, known for being the youngest person to visit every sovereign nation, has been met with skepticism regarding his ambitious plan to operate the fuel-intensive A380 across the Atlantic due to the plane's inefficiency and high operating costs.
The COVID-19 pandemic hastened the retirement of superjumbos by airlines such as Air France and Thai Airways, favoring more efficient widebodies. This, coupled with a lack of orders, led Airbus to cease production of the A380 in 2021. However, some carriers like Qatar Airways and Emirates have found success with the A380 on specific high-demand routes within a robust hub-and-spoke network.
The New York-London route is highly competitive, with numerous flights operating daily between the two cities. It will be a challenge for a new carrier like Global Airlines to attract enough passengers to fill an A380, especially given the abundance of established mainline and low-cost options.
Despite these challenges, Global Airlines remains hopeful. The company recently announced a chauffeur service, which it believes will distinguish it from competitors. "I am hopeful that to-and-from airport transfers, along with some other exciting announcements we have coming up, will persuade even more passengers to fly with Global Airlines," Asquith said in a press release announcing the new service.
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