A new UK-US airline has bought the first of three Airbus planes it plans to purchase. Global Airlines is planning to operate transatlantic flights from London by spring 2024.
It says it has acquired an Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger jet. It believes it is the first new airline to own one of the double-decker superjumbos in eight years.
The vast majority of A380s around the world were put into storage at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The move sparked speculation they would never return due to the existence of more fuel-efficient aircraft.
But the model’s ability to carry more passengers than other commercial planes means they are making a recovery. Global Airlines bought its plane from German aircraft finance company Doric Aviation.
It did not reveal how much it paid. Global Airlines expects to acquire three more A380s in the coming months.
It intends to begin flying from London to New York and Los Angeles from next spring. This will put it in competition with legacy airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as Norwegian low-cost carrier Norse, which began flying between London Gatwick and New York last August.
Norwegian Air Shuttle operated transatlantic flights with low fares but axed its long-haul operations in January 2021 due to heavy losses.
Global Airlines founder and chief executive James Asquith, who also created travel company Holiday Swap, said: “Our aspiration is to be the best way to fly and the A380 – with its unmatched levels of space, comfort and service – will be absolutely central to achieving that vision. The purchase of our first aircraft demonstrates that we are well on the way to launching Global.
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“The next step is to overhaul and refit the aircraft to our high specification, providing our customers with the best experience in the sky today. Acquiring our aircraft rather than leasing showcases our commitment to financial security and resilience from day one.”
