Global Airlines' A380 tours Europe ahead of first commercial flight
The massive Airbus A380, registration 9H-GLOBL, returned to landing at major airports on Friday after a period of preparation to take on commercial flights.
The only aircraft from the new Global Airlines took off from Beja, Portugal, where it was being retrofitted, for a sort of tour of Europe before welcoming its first passengers.
The A380 made a quick stop at Barcelona Airport before departing for Berlin Brandenburg Airport, where it arrived late in the afternoon.
It was the first time that an aircraft of its type had operated at the German capital’s new airport. On Saturday, the A380 9H-GLOBL is due to take off in the morning towards Gatwick Airport, south of London.
Global Airlines, founded by entrepreneur James Asquith, has scheduled its first commercial flight for May 15, from Glasgow, Scotland, to New York (JFK).
This is also a special flight, which will only return on May 19. Two days later, the A380 will also depart from Manchester to New York.
Former Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan
The new carrier’s plans, however, are to fly regularly between London and New York, but Global does not yet have an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), so it depends on Hi Fly’s services to operate.
The A380 9H-GLOBL is a double-decker jet previously operated by China Southern Airlines. Its passenger cabin has been kept for now, only receiving new materials with the Global logo.
The airline has stated that it intends to introduce more widebody aircraft by 2025. In recent days, Global announced Knighthood Global, a consulting firm owned by former Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan, as a new partner.
The executive and former CFO of the Arab carrier, James Rigney, will be strategic advisors to Global Airlines.
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