Global Airlines' A380 completes its first revenue flight
After much anticipation, Global Airlines finally completed its first revenue flight on May 15. The new British airline, founded by entrepreneur James Asquith, debuted with a special flight between Glasgow and New York (JFK).
The special service is not yet regular and will not return until May 19, but it is a feat for the new carrier that is banking on the massive Airbus A380 to attract customers.
A second special flight will take place on May 21, also bound for New York, but from Manchester. Regular flights, however, have not yet been launched by Global.
The A380, registration 9H-GLBL, formerly of China Southern Airlines, took off from the Scottish city at 11:30 a.m. and landed in New York at 12:53 p.m. local time.
With a three-class interior layout inherited from the Chinese airline, the aircraft can carry 506 passengers.
As Global Airlines does not yet have an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), the A380 has been operated by Hi Fly, a Portuguese ACMI company.
The airline plans to take delivery of other second-hand A380s to launch transatlantic flights initially between London (Gatwick) and New York by the end of the year.
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