Global Airlines eyes Maldives flights as Airbus A380 prepares for return

UK start-up Global Airlines is targeting the Maldives as a destination as it prepares to return its sole Airbus A380 to service later this year. The route marks a shift in focus away from the transatlantic market.

Speaking to Metro, founder and CEO James Asquith said the carrier hopes to launch flights to the Indian Ocean holiday destination before the end of 2026, arguing that the UK market remains underserved despite strong demand for luxury leisure travel. 

Maldives becomes Global Airlines’ next target

Rather than concentrating exclusively on high-profile transatlantic routes such as New York, Asquith said the airline intends to focus on destinations where passengers have fewer nonstop options from the UK.

“We’re quite inundated with lots of airports around the world who want the A380,” Asquith told Metro. “We have a whole list of airports asking, offering incentives for us to fly there.”

Asquith told Metro that he believes the Maldives is underserved in Britain. A UK-Maldives service would be operated using Global Airlines’ Airbus A380, offering one of the world’s highest-capacity aircraft on a route traditionally dominated by one-stop services through Middle Eastern hubs. 

While British Airways already serves Malé nonstop from London Heathrow, the market continues to rely heavily on connections via airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways. 

The airline is exploring other routes in North America, South Africa and Asia. Asquith also floated Hawaii as a possible future destination, while stressing that the airline remains focused on long-haul leisure routes. “There are particular ultra-long haul routes that could be done,” Asquith said. 

The airline is also evaluating departures from regional UK airports, including Manchester and Birmingham. 

Explaining the route shift, Asquith noted that other airlines have taken similar approaches. “Norse Atlantic have almost every six months completely altered and changed their route network,” he told Metro. “I would love to sit here and say, we’re going to only focus on one, two, three cities. But I also don’t want to not be adaptable.”

The airline’s only Airbus A380 is still undergoing heavy maintenance

The announcement comes as Global Airlines continues work to return its only aircraft, Airbus A380-800 9H-GLOBL, to service.

The former China Southern aircraft operated Global’s first passenger flights between Glasgow, Manchester and New York in May 2025 under a wet-lease arrangement with Hi Fly Malta before being withdrawn for scheduled heavy maintenance. The aircraft has since remained out of service while undergoing one of the most extensive maintenance checks required for the superjumbo. 

Asquith has blamed the prolonged delay on limited availability of heavy maintenance slots for the A380 fleet, but recently said he expects the aircraft to return to flying “certainly this year” once the work is complete. 

A revised strategy for the UK start-up

The Maldives announcement marks an evolution in Global Airlines’ strategy.

When the airline was first announced, it promoted plans to fly the Airbus A380 on premium transatlantic routes, initially targeting New York and Los Angeles. It also became the first new owner of an Airbus A380 in eight years after acquiring the former China Southern aircraft. 

Its inaugural services in May 2025 generated significant publicity but remained one-off charter operations rather than the launch of a scheduled airline. Since then, the company has paused flying while completing maintenance on the aircraft and reassessing its commercial strategy.

The airline’s website continues to promote its ambition to bring back the ‘Golden Age of Travel,’ with a premium-focused onboard experience centred on the spacious Airbus A380.