Global Airlines has partnered with Lisbon-based Hi Fly to help accelerate the entry into service (EIS) of the their Airbus A380 fleet. Global expects their first A380, registration 9H-GLOBL, to arrive in Europe in the coming months.
On Thursday (September 28, 2023), Global Airlines announced that they have contracted with Lisbon-based airline Hi-Fly to accelerate the entry into service (EIS) of their Airbus A380 fleet. Hi Fly has substantial A380 technical and operating expertise as the world’s first A380 secondary market operator, which Global will leverage as they prepare for the first aircraft, registration 9H-GLOBL, to arrive in Europe in the coming months. Under the agreement, Global Airlines and Hi Fly will work together on the development and maintenance of Global’s first four A380s, with a short-term focus on EIS and return to service (RTS) processes.
In Thursday’s announcement, Global Airlines’ Founder and CEO, James Asquith, said,
“This announcement has been a long time in the making, and I’ve said from the start, we at Global want to work with the best, most experienced partners, and Hi Fly are exactly that. The great news for us is that the team at Hi Fly know the A380 inside-out and will be invaluable in helping us with their industry knowledge around the maintenance and technical acceptance required for our first aircraft – all crucial steps before work begins on introducing our new interiors and other vital elements of the Global service and passenger proposition. We’re proud to be working with Hi Fly and I place no limits on the potential of this collaboration.”
Also commenting on the new collaboration, Hi Fly’s CEO and Accountable Manager, Antonios Efthymiou, added,
“As soon as James and his team announced Global to the world, we were delighted to be part of the continued A380 revival. Their passion for the A380, and belief in its potential to transform the passenger flying experience, is shared across our organisation, from top to bottom, and it’s clear there are huge synergies between us. We are delighted to be able to share our experience with Global, steer the aircraft through the next important technical staging points, and, ultimately, return them to the sky where they belong.”
Hi Fly is the world’s largest Airbus widebody wet-lease specialist, and is EASA and IOSA certified in Europe, and FAA approved in the U.S. The carrier holds Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) in Portugal and Malta and is licensed to operate worldwide. Hi Fly operates an all-Airbus fleet including A320s, A330s, and A340s, which are available for wet-lease globally, and currently operates around 35,000 flights annually for 140 airlines and governments worldwide.
Launched in 2023, London-based Global Airlines is dedicated to offering guests the best possible flying experience. The carrier is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holiday Swap Group and is led by Founder and CEO, James Asquith, and a growing team of aviation industry experts. Global has commenced their aircraft acquisition program, and has already secured four Airbus A380s.
Source: Global Airlines