Ever wanted to start your own airline? The curious story of Global Airlines and their first transatlantic flight

I'm not sure where to begin with all of this, but let's go.

For those of you who haven't been following along. Global Airlines is a controversial British Airline founded by James Asquith. James founded Holiday Swap (a travel booking website) and also authored a travel book "Breaking Borders: Travels in Pursuit of an Impossible Record" after he traveled to all 196 UN countries and observer states in 2013.

Why is Global Airlines controversial? The company purchased an Airbus A380 in 2023 with the goal of entering the transatlantic market. Heard this story before? Richard Branson launched Virgin Airlines in 1984 with a leased 747 flying from Gatwick to Newark.

Now, Airbus A380s aren't cheap (their list price was $455 million) but Global Airlines purchased a 12-year-old A380 previously owned by China Southern Airlines that had been sitting in the California's Mojave Air & Space Port (a major location for aircraft storage) since the pandemic. Rumours are that they paid only tens of millions for the plane.

Ever since that moment, internet forums, blogs, and podcasts have been full of discussion from aviation experts who could not believe that James could get Global Airlines off the ground (literally). Starting an airline is not as simple as buying a plane, adding your logo, hiring a captain and cabin crew, and setting off. It's a a complex, capital intensive process that can take years. Many experts dismissed Global Airlines as a hoax or prank.

However, fast forward to May this year. Global Airlines actually flew with paying passengers. Their first inaugural flight took off from Glasgow to JFK on May 15, operated by charter airline Hi Fly Malta. On board: about 175 aviation enthusiasts, travel journalists, and a few YouTubers including Josh Cahill and Noel Philips (I'll link to their videos below). The flight was uneventful but the reviews were not entirely positive — the seats were worn and some passenger were served cold meals. But regardless, they made it!

(For a fun history lesson, read the story of Richard Branson's first flight back in 1984 which includes some wild antics — simpleflying.com/virgin-atlantic-first-flight-anniversary/)

Anyway, Global Airlines flew back to Glasgow a few days later to compete the return flight, and proved all the nay-sayers wrong. They successfully bought an aircraft and took paying passengers from the UK to America. The company then operated a one-time service between Manchester Airport and New York on 21 May, returning on May 25.

However, this is where things get interesting. According to FlightRadar24, the aircraft was repositioned to Dresden, which has facilities for A380 maintenance and cabin fitting. There hasn't been any more flights or further announcements. The website for Global Airlines (globalairlines.com) just says "Our new site is Landing Soon".

So will Global Airlines fly again, or was it just a publicity stunt? Over on aviation websites and forums, there's rumours about foreign investment and a business model pivot.

While I like to cheer on what James and Global Airlines have achieved despite the odds, I can't help but feel a sense of uncertainty whether this venture can continue with so few flights. Also, who is funding this unprofitable airline, and on what terms?

For now, it seems that Global Airlines is back on the ground. What will James Asquith and his team at GA announce to the aviation community next?

If you have news or thoughts about Global Airlines please share in the comments.

Here's some videos and reviews of Global Airlines' first flight, from Glasgow to New York-JFK, on 15 May 2025

Josh Cahill:

Noel Phillips:

Patrick Shea:

Liv Clarke: 'I flew on the hyped Global Airlines A380 from Manchester to New York and it was extremely bizarre'
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/i-flew-hyped-global-airlines-31705590

Pete Syme: 'Global Airlines is making its first official flight across the Atlantic with an Airbus A380'
www.businessinsider.com/global-airlines-makes-first-flight-airbus-a380-glasgow-new-york-2025-5

(X) James Asquith, founder of Global Airlines, gate crashes Simon Calder's interview with Mike Graham.
x.com/TalkTV/status/1922941317530693837

And here's some followup articles and videos

Glasgow Flyer:

Simple Flying
simpleflying.com/global-airlines-realigns-a380-focus-after-new-york-flights/

One Mile At A Time
onemileatatime.com/news/global-airlines-pivots-business-model-saudi-investment/

UPDATE (4 June 2014)

Global Airlines have posted a statement on LinkedIn regarding recent online coverage.

"There has been considerable noise since the first passenger flights of 9H-GLOBL took place over the past fortnight. We are truly delighted by the interest and enthusiasm shown by so many people, and we want to thank everyone for being part of this incredible journey.

However, it’s become evident from what we are seeing and reading that some have chosen to spread large amounts of speculation, often presenting it as fact. It’s unfortunate when this happens, as it can be very misleading, and those reading these false claims can get overly excited about things that are simply not true.

With this in mind, we have published an official statement that you can read below. We encourage everyone to take a moment to read it, as we hope it will help clarify the facts and provide a clearer understanding of our progress.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us spread the truth - stay tuned for our next (accurate) announcements and to see where we go next (coming soon)."

Link to full statement:

www.linkedin.com/pulse/statement-from-global-airlines-ltd-global-airlines-obrme/

Only for the brave ones with deep pockets!