en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK startup Global Airlines plans to send its sole Airbus A380 to an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility by the end of this year to complete its 12-year check, thereby advancing the launch of commercial operations.

In recent years, Global Airlines has drawn attention for its plans to operate the A380 and restore what founder James Asquith calls the "golden age of aviation." The company originally planned to launch commercial flights in 2024, but the date has been repeatedly postponed. Global Airlines previously stated it intends to operate a fleet of four A380s.

In May 2025, the company conducted two transatlantic validation flights from Glasgow and Manchester to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, but has since remained largely low-key, with the aircraft parked in Tarbes, southwestern France.

Earlier this week, the UK newspaper Metro reported that Global Airlines plans to launch services to the Maldives by the end of the year. In fact, the Indian Ocean archipelago is just one of many potential destinations the company is considering, and no specific agreements have been reached. A Global Airlines spokesperson told Aviation Daily on June 4 that cities in the U.S. and Far East are bidding to have the A380 operate routes to their locations, with "some fantastic incentives" received, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

First, Global Airlines must get the aircraft through its 12-year check. The spokesperson said: "We very much hope to position the aircraft by the end of the year, possibly sometime in the fourth quarter, to send it to an MRO facility." He declined to name the specific MRO facility and acknowledged that the airline had hoped to have already sent the aircraft for a C-check. Delays have resulted from a persistent lack of capacity in the MRO sector. "We have secured a slot for the 12-year check. MRO availability and capacity are very tight right now. Due to reasons largely beyond our control, we are behind our expected timeline, which is a bit frustrating," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Global Airlines has been working with other A380 operators. The aircraft largely retains the interior configuration installed by its original owner, China Southern. There has been much speculation about whether the UK startup will refurbish the cabin. The spokesperson said: "There will be some further work done on the interior, but I can't disclose more."

The airline's initial flights were operated under a partnership, using the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Portuguese wet-lease and charter specialist Hi Fly. When asked about progress on Global Airlines obtaining its own AOC, the spokesperson said there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work underway, and that "we have many different options" for securing the necessary certification. "Hi Fly has been an excellent partner for everything we've done so far," he said. "We fully expect that partnership to continue in some form, but we are also advancing or pursuing other things to keep all options open."

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