3 weeks Ago By Rytis Beresnevičius
Global Airlines has opened bookings for its inaugural flights from two cities in the United Kingdom to New York, the United States. Depending on the class and route, prices range from $373 to $4,647. However, the startup airline, which aims to become another Airbus A380 operator by utilizing the double-decker aircraft, still does not have its air operator’s certificate (AOC), with the inaugural flights being operated by Portugal-based Hi Fly.
Economy, Business, and First Class Flights To JFK On April 15, Global Airlines announced that its ticketing website was now live, enabling potential passengers to book flights on the carrier’s inaugural journeys from Glasgow Airport (GLA) and Manchester Airport (MAN) to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) with fixed dates. On flights from Glasgow to New York-JFK on May 15, Global Airlines’ has priced economy, business, and first class tickets at £466.
63 ($619.58), £2,042 ($2,711), and £3,502 ($4,650), respectively. Passengers can book a ticket on the return journey on May 19 from New York-JFK to Glasgow from £311.
99 ($414.07) for an economy, from £1,657 ($2,200) for a business, or from £3,003 ($3,986) for a first class seat. Meanwhile, flights from Manchester to New York-JFK, which will depart westward on May 21 and return to the UK on May 25, range between £415.
45 ($551.31) for an economy class seat to £3,256 ($4,321) for a first class experience, with business class seats being priced at £1,864 ($2,474). The return flights are priced at £218.
83 ($290.33), £1,605 ($2,129), and £2,726 ($3,617) for the three different cabin classes, ranging from economy to first. “You can now book your seats on the flights from Manchester and Glasgow to New York, JFK.
Will you be one of the very first people to book your seat and fly on 9H-GLOBL [the registration of Global Airlines’ first A380 – ed. note]? [..
.] The countdown has begun, and we cannot wait to see you onboard!” Operated by Hi Fly However, the home page of Global Airlines’ reservation system mentions the Hi Fly name at least eight times, with the Portugal-based aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) company actually operating the airline’s A380, which is registered in Malta under Hi Fly’s Maltese AOC. In July 2018, Hi Fly Malta took delivery of an ex-Singapore Airlines A380, registered as 9V-SKC and re-registered as 9H-MIP (pictured above) , before retiring it in December 2020, becoming the first airline to welcome a second-hand double-decker.
Ch-aviation records showed that the future operator of that aircraft, which is currently resting at Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport (LDE), will be Global Airlines. Nevertheless, since the UK-based startup does not have its own AOC in the UK or elsewhere, the Portuguese ACMI services provider will operate its sole A380, registered as 9H-GLOBL, on the four transatlantic crossings in May. Flights from Glasgow to New York-JFK are scheduled to depart at 11:00 local time (UTC +1) and arrive on US soil at 13:00 local time (UTC -4).
The return flight is set to leave the Big Apple at 08:00 and arrive in Scotland at 19:15. Flights from Manchester to New York-JFK depart and arrive at 12:25 and 14:25, while the return itinerary is scheduled to leave and land at 08:55 and 20:40. Global Airlines has planned its first commercial flights on May 15.
Cabins And Uniforms Still, while Hi Fly will be the de jure operator of the flights, Global Airlines has invested in the aircraft and other customer touchpoints for it to feel like its own flight. This includes the A380 sporting the carrier’s livery, a cabin overhaul, and individualized cabin crew uniforms. The cabin overhaul was done at Beja Airport (BYJ), where it arrived on January 17.
Following the aircraft’s last test flight on April 3 in Beja, Portugal, James Asquith, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Airlines, said that there was no better sight than seeing the A380 in the sky where it belongs, adding that 9H-GLOBL being in the sky reminded him of all the hard work by so many people that led the airline to this moment..
