I think we have been here before.

To be fair, the appointment looks genuine, compared to some of Boy Wonder's.

All you cynics desperate to talk down a likely future Emirates make me sick :(

This is going to be a fantastic addition to the aviation ecosystem, and I'll urgently be getting in touch with them to discuss potential synergies with my proposal to set up a virtual airline using 19 seater planes hired from people you've never heard of (at least not in a good way) to serve Anglesey, Bambridge, Blackpool, Cambridge, Carlisle, Coventry, Cumbernauld, Doncaster, Gloucester, Oban, Oxford, Plymouth, Prestwick, Sheffield City, Shoreham & Swansea. If my I mean our hub was at an airport served by Global then literally nothing could stop the growth of true British / Worldwide network except finance, practicalities and reality.

Mark my words - in ten years time FlyAlpharcityWhoodwinx3 and Global could be the two biggest airlines in the world!

01475 - are you drunk ?

At last! Someone who takes these kinds of proposals seriously, and who doesn't just write people off as dreaming naive teenagers that are too young to drink!

I think 01475 should be seen as the far-sighted expert she/he clearly is - I doubt any form of intoxicating liquor ever touches their lips. He/she will have statues put up to them in future years when we're all travelling by Global to lackpool, Cambridge, Carlisle, Coventry, Cumbernauld, Doncaster, Gloucester, Oban, Oxford etc;)

To ensure that success is guaranteed, though, 01475 will need to bring visionaries like Martin Halstead and Jason Unsworth on board.

I wonder if his newly appointed advisors will be brave enough to tell him there's a reason nearly every other airline aside from Emirates wants nothing to do with A380s?

Or perhaps the business plan is so outstanding they're convinced he's seen something no one else has?

But you have to ask yourselves how well informed his 'incredible' advisers are about airline commercials?

Global's chief commercial officer (Richard Stephenson) is a PR man who once worked at the UK CAA. He was director for comms - so not the CE or Chairman. How qualified is he on airline economics? Ever done a comparable job?

Yesterday they trumpeted the appointment of their Commercial Projects Manager. Again, not much of an industry track record to see. Three years ago she was still working Front Desk Admin at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tel Aviv, according to her LinkedIn. Got the commercial experience to go head to head with established characters on one of the most competitive routes in the world?

Now I'm sure these are smart people, but do they know enough to point out that trying to get an A380 out of mothballs, then secure an AOC, and launch services by spring 2024 - less than a year away - is utterly impossible?

And, as per previous posts, have they asked why airlines that ALREADY have extensive experience with the A380 are returning it to lessors or parking it?

And that's just the commercial side. Ops, regulatory...

It's hard to guess what the game is here - but if it ever takes off (unlikely) it ain't gonna last for long. (Or only as long as they have a patient investor with money to burn).

" there's a reason nearly every other airline aside from Emirates wants nothing to do with A380s?"

Tho for airlines that DO own them they were the first back into service post Covid...........

I would be hesitant to make a connection between % of operation restored / speed of operation restored and the ownership of A380s. Local health regulations, strategy and politics have much more to do with an airline's ability to operate, alongside the local economy, and the appetite for travel to and through a hub/state.

Maybe Global will now add a claim that A380 is an anti-COVID talisman alongside their other elaborate claims for their new 'airline'! ;)

The A380 is a really good aircraft for those airlines that understand what it is - and what it isn’t - and operate it accordingly.

It is not a corporate penis extension. It is not an expression of national pride. It is not the aircraft you buy because you aspire to be taken seriously.

What it is is a bloody big aircraft.

So airlines that use it where they need capacity - perhaps without frequency - do well with it. EK. BA….

And Dr Beau W, as consultant in relation to our first hub airport; Manston.

Oh no.... please God...no................... :ugh:

Perfect synergy - what a launch customer for a revitalised Manston!

Oh really, like Lufty then who have just returned 1 (of IIRC a fleet of 10) to service after 3 years parked up.
Or some others (like Air France) who aren't returning theirs at all

Or maybe you are pullling our plonkers :rolleyes:

Lufty is working to bring back four plus x. Two are operating already to the US east coast. They brought back all A340-600s as well to compensate for delayed 777-9 deliveries.

Another potential competitor?
https://aviationweek.com/air-transpo...f63215920912d5

Where is he going to get the experienced pilots to operate the 380? Which European airport is going to invest in the infrastructure needed for the A380?

Considering Virgin has continually struggled achieve profitably with a strong brand and quality Heathrow slots, and secondary long haul network carriers such as Air Europa in Spain and Air Berlin have not succeeded, I’m struggling to see where this airline can operate profitably. It has to be London or Paris, cities that have strong inbound and outbound demand to fill such an aircraft year-round. Both have strong business, long haul VFR and leisure demand, but are highly competitive.

Other potential mega-catchment areas surrounding Manchester, Düsseldorf or Milan don’t have the inbound demand to fill the A380

Actually, which long haul A380 routes operate successfully without onward connections (London - HKG? Tokyo - Hawaii?)

If he's a UK AOC'd carrier (and I'm doubtful he'll even secure an AOC with the current A380 scheme!) then he won't have access to EU traffic rights to 3rd countries. He could theoretically operate Paris to UK (which I assume is not the suggestion) but he could not operate Paris to [3rd country].

​​​​​​​And if he imagines that he will secure viable interline agreements to suck traffic into Gatwick to fill that empty A380 - he's got a nasty surprise awaiting him.

Self-styled 'travel guru' Asquith (and any investors!) are about to get a harsh lesson in airline economics.