Global Airlines has a new partner as it moves towards getting its first A380 into airworthy condition. The company has contracted with Hi Fly to handle the maintenance and retrofit work for the plane as it goes through the necessary processes before it can carry travelers.
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.
– James Asquith, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines
Hi Fly has significant experience with the A380 as the first carrier to operate the type in the secondary market. Indeed, Global Airlines acquired the very same aircraft (previously 9H-MIP, soon to be 9H-GLOBL) to launch its operations.
But, at least for now, the partnership is solely focused on getting the aircraft tuned up and retrofit to fly. Hi Fly is not under contract to operate the plane for Global Airlines in commercial service, though it will operate the ferry flight to get the plane to its maintenance base to begin the retrofit work.
Moreover, while the companies highlight Hi Fly’s operating authorities around the globe, those are insufficient to allow Global Airlines to launch service, at least in its most hyped target market, the United States.
Even if Global chooses the (likely very expensive) path of having Hi Fly operate the aircraft rather than bringing those functions in-house, it would still have to be certified as an airline in its own right to sell scheduled service seats to the USA. It would also require a foreign air carrier permit from the US DOT, but that is generally more of a formality*, assuming it holds proper authorities in its home market.
A company spokesperson confirms that Global Airlines expects it will hold these operating authorizations directly when it launches transatlantic service.
Which is no guarantee that Global will staff the planes itself. It could still depend on Hi Fly to operate the planes on Global Airlines’ behalf (akin to how Norwegian subcontracted Hi Fly’s services, but hopefully with much better performance).
Similarly, registering the plane on the Hi Fly certificate is no guarantee that it will handle operations for Global down the line. To get the plane in the air and moved to a suitable maintenance base requires having it registered to a certified airline. Global does not hold that license yet.
As for the aircraft, it requires replacement of the business class cabin at a minimum. The existing Koito seats (originally installed for Singapore Airlines) are no longer certified to fly. Global suggests a full cabin refurbishment is planned, with the aircraft expected to keep its three class cabin layout. Exactly how much will be replaced versus cleaned and updated remains unclear.
* Norwegian‘s UK long-haul are would likely disagree with this view, as it took three years for its application to be approved against a backdrop of claims regarding pay scale and employment policy challenges. ARAJET of the Dominican Republic is also facing a longer than normal application process.
More news about Global Airlines
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- Global Airlines’ questionable partnership claims continue
- Global Airlines taps Hi Fly for A380 maintenance and retrofit
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- Global Airlines buys its first A380 – again
- Global Airlines ferries its A380 to the UK
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