James Asquith, chief executive of Global Airlines, has a mission: to “take passengers back to the Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service” between the UK and US.
This is the story of his airline’s first transatlantic flight, which took place between Glasgow Airport and New York JFK on Thursday May 15.
8am
Global Airlines’ launch aircraft, Airbus A380 with the registration 9H-GLOBL, is towed across the airfield at Glasgow from a remote parking stand to gate 34.
At the same time, check-in opens for flight HFM380 to New York JFK. HFM stands for Hi Fly Malta, the Maltese subsidiary of a Portuguese operator. Hi Fly is the only non-scheduled organisation with experience of flying the A380.
An arch made of red, white and blue balloons has been set up, and cupcakes to celebrate the event are being handed out.
8.37am
The aviation and travel vlogger Noel Philips paid £2,999 for a business-class ticket, but on checking in found he had been upgraded to first for the Global Airlines flight from Glasgow airport to New York. Mr Philips, 44, is British but now lives in Magnolia, Texas.
“I came over on Icelander and I literally got in last night and then I’m flying back today,” he told The Independent.
“I’m going back home on the first flight of the Global A380 and it’s super-exciting.”
9.42am
I am broadcasting live from the airport check-in on Talk, discussing Global Airlines with the presenter Mike Graham. Mr Asquith, the Global Airlines founder, approaches and challenges me for having said, two years ago: “I wish Global Airlines well, but I fear the operation will simply burn through tens of millions of investors’ funds without getting off the ground.”
In the impromptu interview that followed, James tells me and the Talk audience: “I’m feeling great, I think a lot of positivity since, well, you didn’t believe this happen. So here we are.”
I ask Mr Asquith: “What happens next after this? You’re flying from here to New York. You’re flying from Manchester to New York. What happens after that?”
The Global Airlines founder responds: “Who knows what happens tomorrow? Who knows? We’ll see. Everybody said we wouldn’t get this far, including yourself. So let’s see.
“I think we’ve been pretty open and transparent with the journey: the difficulties, the problems, the challenges. We’ll see what happens next. Maybe we’ll turn the aircraft into a spa next,” he jokes.
“Nothing’s guaranteed tomorrow, right. So we’ll have to see. I couldn’t be happier. If nothing else happens, we’ve still been here.”
10.25am
Unsubstantiated rumours among staff the airport duty-free talked of £40,000 being spent on catering alone; were that true, it would represent about £350 per person.
10.35am
While waiting at the gate, my boarding pass for seat 52F is swapped for 73K. “We’re seating everyone on the upper deck,” the ground staff member explained.
Some airlines, including China Southern (previous owner of the Global Airlines aircraft) and British Airways, fit some economy seats on the upper deck of the Airbus A380. With a low load, it makes sense to keep all the economy passengers together to make meal service easier.
10.45am
Derek Steell, 60, a retired civil servant, tells me has been given an upgrade from economy to business class. He said: “I’m 6ft 4in. Usually when we go with British Airways we go in premium economy. I mentioned it to the check-in girl and asked if I could pay for an upgrade. She called somebody over and they authorised it for me and my wife, free of charge.”
10.50am
Ten minutes before the scheduled departure time, the crowd of Global Airlines passengers around gate 34 became entangled with the travellers queuing for a Ryanair flight to Alicante, a fair number of whom were women wearing sashes proclaiming “Steph’s Hen 2025”. Boarding begins shortly afterwards.
11.05am
I board, shake hands with the captain and walk through the main deck economy cabin. The colour palette suggests to me a Middle East merger between the beige of Emirates and the burgundy of Qatar Airways. Then I climb the stairs to the upper deck.
11.07am
Seat 72K is beside the window and there is an empty seat next to it. Waiting is a cream-coloured blanket with a branded Global Airlines wrapper, and a formidable amenity kit. This includes 14 items from socks, eyeshade and ear plugs to Murdock Pulse Point Oil (no I didn’t know there was such a thing, either). A classy offering for economy travellers.
11.13am
Airbus A380 9H-GLOBL pushes back from gate 24. Captain Carlos Mirpuri, boss of Hi Fly, is at the controls. He says: “Today marks a very special occasion: the very first transatlantic commercial flight under the Global Airlines brand and we are proud to be operating it on this fantastic Airbus A380. It’s a true honour for my colleagues and me to share this milestone with you.” He predicts a flight time of six hours and 20 minutes, which will see us in New York JFK on time an 1pm local time (6pm UK time).
11.34am
The plane takes off. Its place at gate 34 will be taken shortly afterwards by the Emirates arrival from Dubai. The flightpath on a beautifully clear day crosses the Clyde, the island of Mull, the Kintyre Peninsula and Malin Head, the northernmost tip of Ireland.
12.10pm
Economy passengers are offered a glass of champagne.
12.25pm
I venture into the economy bathroom: clean and fresh with bottles of Margaret Dabbs Pure Repairing Hand Cream and Pure Exfoliating Hand Cream. Then I sneak into the business class bathroom, which is larger, just as clean and has two fresh roses in a small vase.
12.30pm
I linger in business class and start talking to Derek Steell, the passenger who secured an upgrade at check in.
12.31pm
I am politely asked to leave the business cabin so the crew can get on with their service, and make the walk of shame back through the curtain to economy. (Later, I go back in to recharge my laptop and phone.)
12.49pm
Hot towels are handed out.
1.15pm
The drinks offering arrives, with a range of full bottles of wine: merlot and malbec reds, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio, plus gigantic bottles of Fanta and 7Up. I ask for a Scottish-made Brewdog IPA.
1.16pm
The three-course menu begins with a fresh and tasty caprese salad and ends with a delicious lemon tart. In between, the choice is:
- Sea bass with fennel
- Herbed chicken ballantine
- Spiced white bean and aubergine cassolette.
It has been six hours since my breakfast in the Glasgow airport Travelodge, so I ask politely if I might try all of them. The fish was my favourite; the chicken was a tad dry and the vegetarian choice a touch mushy, but overall it was superior to any transatlantic meal I have had in recent memory.
2.05pm
Time for tea and coffee. Again, I order one of each from helpful and friendly Maria – a cabin-crew member who works for Hi Fly. “This is very different to our normal aircraft,” she says.
- Coffee: I have tasted a lot worse in flight
- Tea: excellent, and served in big paper cups that hold at least three times as much as the dinky ones they give you on BA
2.12pm
The China Southern seatback videos are not in use. Instead, passengers hook up to the aircraft’s internal internet.
Connecting to the Global Times WiFi network is easy. While this does not connect to the world wide web, it provides a sky map, showing we are off the southern tip of Greenland. The choice of movies is wide, from Barbie to Conclave. The music selection is more modest, with playlists for pop and rock but no indication of what the might contain. TV shows? Arrow, The Big Bang Theory and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
3.14pm
Landfall over North America: crossing the Canadian coast over Labrador.
4pm
Something of a party atmosphere is developing, particularly among the younger, male, “AvGeek” clientele swapping stories as they stand in the aisle.
4.16pm
Heavens, another meal. This time I have only one main course, the tasty cod with nicely roasted red peppers.
4.45pm
Crossing from the Canadian province of New Brunswick into Maine, US.
5pm
With an hour to go, cabin crew hand out invitations to an after-party to be held at the TWA Hotel at JFK airport. This was the iconic terminal for Trans World Airways. The terminal was beautiful but completely unsuited for the jet age, while TWA was later swallowed up by American Airlines.
5.08pm
Captain Carlos Mirpuri says descent will begin in 15 minutes, with landing at around 6pm. At New York JFK airport, the temperature is 19C and raining, he reports. We will leave the aircraft on steps, not via an airbridge, he says.
5.24pm
The A380 starts to descend. Three minutes later the highly professional cabin crew conduct a brief safety reminder, demonstrating where the emergency exits are once again – for use in the extremely unlikely Event of an evacuation after landing.
5.53pm
The giant aircraft breaks through the low cloud hovering over Kennedy airport and touches down gently. Passengers and crew can look forward to a long weekend in New York before the flight back to Glasgow on Monday at 8am local time.
6.04pm (1.04pm in New York)
HFM380 arrives at a remote stand, four minutes late after the 3,216-mile flight. Captain Mirpuri signs off saying: “On time, every time.” Just alongside, a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350 recently arrived from London Heathrow nudges past – a reminder of the fierce competition between the UK and US.
6.20pm (1.20pm in New York)
On the bus to Terminal 4 at JFK airport, Julius Kabengo, an 18-year-old student pilot from London, gave his verdict: “Good flight, I got here safely. The food was great – that was my great thing. I just really enjoyed it. The staff were lovely.”
The one aspect he felt could be improved was boarding at Glasgow. “Getting on the aircraft could be improved, but that’s the ground handler. Everything about the aircraft and the organisation: perfect.”
7.23pm (2.23pm in New York)
The queue in the immigration hall is almost spilling out of the door, confirming JFK’s status as the world’s worst airport. Ninety minutes after touchdown, I am about halfway along. Plenty of time, then, to gather my thoughts. This wasn’t a return to “the golden age of travel” – it was far better than that. HFM380 was easily the most comfortable and fun transatlantic trip I have had. I could happily have spent a few more hours being looked after by the friendly and professional crew.
One passenger I spoke to before the flight predicted the operation would be “a little rocky at first,” but it looked impeccable to me. Business class for an economy fare, (except for the flat bed).
The big question is: where, in every sense, does Global Airlines go from here?
Listen to Simon Calder give his view on Global Airlines’ first flight on his daily podcast
