**Global Airlines: The Gift That Keeps on Giving**
**In this post:**
– A Hi Fly Airbus A340 now features Global Airlines branding
– My perspective on Global Airlines’ A340 marketing stunt
– The conclusion
**A Hi Fly Airbus A340 now features Global Airlines branding**
Global Airlines is arguably the most unusual “airline startup” we’ve encountered. The airline allegedly plans to operate a fleet of Airbus A380s, for reasons that many of us find difficult to comprehend. This past spring, the company did technically (sort of) run a total of four A380 flights with passengers. I use “sort of” because Global Airlines lacks its own air operator certificate, meaning those flights were truly operated by Hi Fly.
Very little about Global Airlines is logical, and after those four flights, the A380 was relegated to long-term storage, pending costly heavy maintenance (amounting to millions of dollars). Indeed, much regarding this company lacks coherence.
Now, the company has unveiled another tactic. Global Airlines has taken to social media to post a picture of an Airbus A340, captioned “9H-SUN off on a mission with its stunning new Global livery!”
Naturally, this is sparking considerable speculation. Did Global Airlines actually acquire an Airbus A340, or what is really happening here?
**My perspective on Global Airlines’ A340 marketing stunt**
So what is truly happening here? The aircraft now adorned with a Global Airlines decal is an Airbus A340-300 with the registration code 9H-SUN, owned by Hi Fly, a well-respected wet lease operator. This jet, which is 25 years old, has had an extensive service history, and currently, Hi Fly leases it out to other airlines based on their operational demands.
Interestingly, the aircraft has not been fully painted in Global Airlines livery. After all, Global Airlines never even applied its intended livery onto its own A380, so that isn’t particularly surprising. Instead, it appears that a “GLOBAL” decal was merely affixed along the fuselage, while the rest of the livery remains unchanged.
This aircraft has traveled extensively — for instance, it recently flew to Antarctica, and is now operating Surinam Airways’ flight between Paramaribo (PBM) and Amsterdam (AMS), while the carrier’s wide-body jet is currently out of service.
What connection does Global Airlines have with all this? Since the company prefers not to disclose many real details, we can only speculate (it’s amusing how the CEO dislikes it when people speculate and share inaccuracies but only offers clues that encourage speculation, rather than providing actual information).
At the very least, Global Airlines has likely paid or persuaded Hi Fly to place its decal on this particular plane, in an effort to sustain some credibility or relevance. That seems to be the only rational conclusion we can draw, as there doesn’t appear to be any actual transfer of ownership of the aircraft, nor any sign that Global Airlines is acquiring the plane.
I’m uncertain what value Global Airlines adds here otherwise. Hi Fly is the specialist in wet lease operations; what is Global Airlines expected to contribute to this arrangement? After all, Global Airlines engaged Hi Fly when it sought to operate flights!
So, my best theory is that this is merely a minor arrangement to generate buzz, as we lack any additional information. And it appears to be effective, because… well, here I am discussing it.
**The conclusion**
Global Airlines has somehow had its name placed on a Hi Fly Airbus A340. That’s all we can ascertain, since the airline isn’t sharing any further information, probably for good reason. This aircraft continues to be operated by the reputable wet lease operator, and it’s anyone’s guess what Global Airlines’ role is in this matter. I suspect there isn’t any substantive connection, but time will tell…
What are your thoughts on this Global Airlines Airbus A340 scenario?