Global Airlines denies plans for ACMI operations with Airbus A380

“We’re not planning to change any strategy to become an ACMI operator – ACMI has always been part of our discussions with Hi Fly, but nothing has changed about our direction of travel and the vision and ambition we have for the future. We still have our eye on the ultimate goal of becoming a scheduled airline in the future, but we recognise there are still a lot of things to tackle on that journey.”

The first flight had lower-than-expected load factors due partly to late bookings at higher prices than other options. Despite this, Global Airlines stated it had the “perfect number of passengers” for testing services and products in premium cabins without marketing efforts.

The flight carried 95 passengers, including YouTubers and aviation journalists. Reactions were mixed; economy class was satisfactory for some, while premium cabins received more critical feedback. Manchester Evening News described it as "bizarre."

Global Airlines acknowledged challenges with its first Airbus A380 flight and apologized to passengers who did not enjoy their experience: “will be forgiven for our first attempt.” Richard Stephenson, CCO of Global Airlines, commented: "the team is working hard to move things forward and it's important to remember that our first owned A380 has flown passengers across the Atlantic and more will be coming soon enough."

Despite criticism from some reviewers who did not attend subsequent flights showing improvements, Global Airlines expressed gratitude for honest reviews and positive feedback.