Will Global Airlines Survive the Future? – My Thoughts
Hey everyone,
So I’ve been following Global Airlines for a while now — the new UK-based airline founded by James Asquith that’s trying to bring the Airbus A380 back into service commercially. Their first flight just took off on 15 May 2025 from Glasgow to JFK, operated via Hi Fly Malta since they don’t have their own AOC yet.
But honestly, I’m wondering: can they actually survive in the long run?
Here’s what I think:
What Concerns Me:
• A380-only fleet – Everyone else is retiring them, and it’s not a cheap aircraft to operate, especially for a startup.
• No AOC yet – They’re still using a damp lease to operate flights. That’s not a stable long-term model.
• Tiny network – Right now, they’ve got one plane, one real flight done, and another planned. It’s more of a test run than an airline at this point.
What Could Work in Their Favor:
• The A380 does grab attention – not many new airlines are bold enough to bring it back, so that might attract curious flyers and media coverage.
• Backed by Holiday Swap – if they integrate travel packages and offer a full experience, they might build a niche.
• Their CEO, James Asquith, has a huge travel following, and that could help them build hype early on.
But hype isn’t everything. So I’m really curious…
What do you all think?
• Can a startup airline running A380s actually succeed?
• Should they focus on premium long-haul or aim for something else entirely?
• Would you fly with them, or do you think it’s just a flashy idea without real legs?
Drop your thoughts below — I’d love to hear different perspectives!
Given the current economic status, I don’t think they’ll be able to last too long unless they are successful. I think it’s a new and cool idea, and I support the A380 fleet in general.
Regarding Global Airlines, I am cautiously optimistic. It will definitely be a challenge for them to compete with the pre-existing market on the routes they will initially be doing, particularly with what seems to be a pretty outdated cabin product. However, I’m intrigued to see how they do but I think it will likely be a struggle.
The odds are against Global. NYC-UK is a highly saturated market. Business travel makes up 15–20% yet brings three-quarters of the route’s earnings. Old numbers (04/18–03/2019), but BA reported $1.16B in revenue on the JFK-LHR route. Recognized at 75% of profits, that leaves $870M in business travel profit and $290M in leisure travel profit.
There is no sustainable model for Global to survive. No product differential to compete with legacy carriers to whom business travelers have loyalty. Dubious that a Delta Platinum/Diamond Medallion or United Platinum/1K would ditch their perks to save a few bucks on what their company is likely expensing.
An alternative business model: low-cost transatlantic/international travel with a high-density aircraft. Think outside the box: codeshare or interline with European low-cost carriers—Europe has established an exceptional low-cost network. Other avenues- target unique and unserved origin-to-destinations, like GLA/LGW-SGN.
High risk, high reward. Asquith is taking a chance.
I’m thinking that if Global flew to more touristy places then it’ll be a bit more viable. As mentioned above the NYC - UK market is very saturated and I don’t see any survival in that route market but maybe if they flew say GLA - LAX or MAN - LAX (for example) instead of JFK they might get a bit more attraction as I’m certain many people would want to fly to LA or any other type of big city/tourist area from these airports.
Will Global Airlines Survive the Future? – My Thoughts
What Concerns Me:
What Could Work in Their Favor:
What do you all think?