Nero 
On the 15th In May 2025, an Airbus A380 took off for the first time on board on behalf of the newly founded British airline Global Airlines. The goal was Kennedy Airport in New York (JFK). The premiere was to be a bang, Global Airlines has done nothing less than revolutionize transatlantic traffic. But the reality on the maiden flight was sobering: less than 100 passengers were sitting in the double-decker wide-body aircraft with over 500 seats.The most important thing at a glance:
Airbus A380 premiere: Global Airlines starts with passengers for the first time
Weak utilization: Only around 90 guests in the 506-seater
Outdated product: No Wi-Fi, no screens – Entertainment only via your own device
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Not a scheduled flight, but a charter flight
Even if Global Airlines communicated as an operator, the flight was legally not a commercial scheduled flight. The British airline does not currently have its own AOC-designated air operator certificate. The flight was carried out by a subsidiary of the Portuguese wet lease provider Hi Fly. The Airbus A380 with the license plate 9H-GLOBL belongs formally to Global Airlines, but is actually operated by Hi Fly Malta.
Only the Global Airlines brand was visible to the passengers, because painting, cabin equipment and uniforms are kept in the design of the British carrier. The maiden flight started as flight HFM380 from Glasgow Airport (GLA) in Scotland and landed in New York after around 6 hours and 20 minutes. The Airbus A380 used was previously flown by China Southern Airlines and is 12 years old. Global Airlines also owns a second machine that used to be used by Singapore Airlines. The jet is currently stored in Lourdes, France.
Despite a fairly low entry price of approx. Only around 90 to 95 passengers were on board for an economy class ticket. Given the capacity of 506 seats, this results in an occupancy rate of less than 20 percent. This value is disastrous, especially because there was a lot of tamtam in advance.
No Wi-Fi, no screens
In addition to the legal detour via Hi Fly and the low occupancy rate, on-board comfort does not meet today’s standards. There is no Wi-Fi on board, classic seat screens are missing, the sockets are deactivated. The entertainment takes place exclusively via the devices brought by the travelers.
Global Airlines actually wants to go back to the golden age of aviation. This includes a better flight experience with more comfort and good service. In reality, not a single scheduled flight can be booked so far, all tickets must be purchased through the British travel agent Travelopedia.
The machine does not return to Great Britain until five days after the maiden flight, the next start is for the 21st Planned in Manchester in May.
The goal will be New York again, the super jumbo will stay at the airport in JFK for several days. The return flight takes place on 25 May. In the medium term, however, you want to fly more often and also start Gatwick in London.
No 100 passengers in the Airbus A380: First flight of Global Airlines flops | Frankfurtflyer comment
Nobody really understood Global Airlines’ business model (yet). An expensive plane only takes off every few days and has hardly any passengers on board. It should also be clear to the layperson that this cannot go well for long. However, some insiders report that the premiere should rather be seen as proof of feasibility for investors. Almost only influencers and bloggers felt among the passengers, maybe the maiden flight was deliberately not marketed? A first judgment on YouTube in any case, it is not particularly shiny … The service was very slow, the waiting times were unacceptable.
The newly founded company stands on shaky legs, many question marks remain. Is there a clear plan to achieve economic sustainability? Do you want to establish reliable line operations at all? The Airbus A380 is symbolic, has a first class and brings the desired attention. Without utilization, network planning and modern product standards, the path to economic success is quite a long one. The second flight should start on Wednesday – maybe we will already see whether the concept is more than a PR stunt.
