British startup Global Airlines, which promised to transform transatlantic travel with a fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbos, has been ordered into compulsory liquidation by a UK court. The decision comes roughly 18 months after the airline operated its first and only commercial flights, without ever establishing a regular service.
The winding-up order was issued by the High Court on November 4, and published on November 12. The proceedings began on May 29 following a petition filed by a creditor based in Florida. The order places the company into a formal liquidation process, although it does not mean the business has already been dissolved.
Founded in 2021 by British entrepreneur James Asquith, Global Airlines attracted considerable attention with its plans to bring the Airbus A380 back into commercial service. The company initially proposed connecting London with New York and Los Angeles, promising a premium passenger experience aboard the world's largest passenger aircraft.
Despite those ambitions, the airline never obtained its own air operator certificate (AOC), the authorization required to conduct commercial flights independently. Its only revenue passenger operations took place in May 2025, using an A380 operated by Hi Fly Malta.
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The aircraft completed two round trips, connecting Glasgow and Manchester with New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. These four flights remained the airline's entire commercial flying history.
A single A380 and an uncertain future
Global Airlines acquired an Airbus A380 previously operated by China Southern Airlines, registered 9H-GLOBL. The aircraft became the centerpiece of the startup's publicity campaigns and underwent preparations before entering limited passenger service.
The airline had originally announced ambitions to operate several A380s, although its fleet never expanded beyond the single aircraft. It also faced repeated delays in establishing regular flights and securing the approvals needed to operate independently.
Following the May 2025 services, the A380 was flown to Tarbes, France, where it has remained in storage since July 2025. No subsequent commercial flights have been confirmed.
The aircraft's ownership and its relationship to the company now undergoing liquidation remain important unresolved questions. The winding-up order does not, by itself, establish whether the A380 forms part of the assets available to the company's creditors.
Global Airlines Ltd, incorporated in the United Kingdom in July 2021, is the entity subject to the court order. Its financial accounts for 2025 are overdue, and the full extent of its liabilities has not yet been publicly established.
Two former directors, Tom Stokely and Prashant Uttamchandani, also participated in the liquidation proceedings as supporting creditors.
Founder continued promising flights after proceedings began
Asquith was one of the most visible promoters of Global Airlines, frequently using LinkedIn and other social media platforms to defend the project, respond to critics and insist that the company would eventually establish regular operations.
The airline's initial commercial flights in May 2025 attracted criticism over the passenger experience and the difference between its ambitious marketing and the services actually delivered. Asquith publicly defended the operation, describing the flights as an important step toward launching the business.
His public statements continued into 2026. In June and July, the entrepreneur discussed plans to resume operations, including possible A380 flights to the Maldives before the end of the year. The proposal represented a departure from the original emphasis on scheduled transatlantic routes.
Those comments came after the liquidation petition had already been filed on May 29, although the court had not yet issued its winding-up order.
Asquith had also discussed the possibility of adding a second aircraft, but neither the proposed expansion nor the Maldives services materialized.
Despite his previous willingness to challenge criticism publicly, no statement from Asquith or Global Airlines addressing the November 4 liquidation order had been identified as of November 13. His publicly visible LinkedIn activity has also become considerably less frequent than during the airline's earlier promotional campaigns.
