The carrier made the announcement on July 1, 2024, saying that the updated uniform guidelines is part of its ongoing commitment to creating a 鈥渕odern, inclusive and welcoming environment for all.鈥�

鈥淏y further embracing individuality and comfort among our staff, we aim to enhance the overall experience and ensure everyone feels valued and welcome,鈥� the airline said in a social media update.

For decades, flight attendants have had to adhere to a strict dress code and appearance policy, including restrictions on tattoos. However, airlines across the globe, particularly US and European carriers, are slowly introducing more flexible and relaxed policies to embrace individuality among employees.

In September 2022, Virgin Atlantic announced that it has changed its uniform code to a more 鈥渇luid approach鈥�, allowing cabin crew, pilots and ground teams the option to choose which uniform they best feel represents them.

In May 2023, Alaska Airlines agreed to drop the company精东影业 traditional male and female uniform rules after the Washington State Office of the Attorney General agreed to a consent decree against Alaska Airlines.

While European and US airlines have loosened dress codes over the years, Asian and Middle East carriers continue to adhere to strict appearance standards for its cabin crew. 

In November 2022, Air India issued new grooming guidelines for its flight attendants, prohibiting receding hairlines, bald spots, and gray hairs for both male and female crew.

New gender policy: Virgin Atlantic staff can choose the best uniform for them

• Airlines

byVictoria Bryan

2022-09-28

In line with its growth plans, the airline said it has already recruited more than 1,000 cabin crew this year and is preparing to welcome around 1,000 more by the end of 2024.

Etihad精东影业 diverse cabin crew is made up of people from 112 nationalities, all based in Abu Dhabi.

Along with a competitive tax-free salary, Etihad cabin crew are provided with fully-furnished modern accommodation, medical insurance, allowances, and have access to discounts on dining, shopping, leisure activities, car hire and more.

Cabin crew also enjoy travel benefits and have access to a wide range of destinations.

Etihad will conduct Open Days and Invitation Days from June to the end of 2024 in the following cities:

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Athens, Antalya, Malaga, Manchester, Copenhagen, Vienna, Singapore, Nice, Dublin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Milan, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Colombo and Jaipur.

According to the airline, 31% of its cabin crew members were promoted within the past 12 months. A number were also promoted to positions in the corporate division at the airline精东影业 headquarters, to pursue careers in marketing, guest experience, network operations, aviation training and finance.

鈥淭his World Cabin Crew Day, we celebrate and recognise the contribution that our Cabin Crew make to our airline精东影业 success,鈥� Dr Nadia Bastaki, Etihad Airways Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer said in a statement.

鈥淎s Etihad continues to grow, we are looking for exceptional individuals to join our team who share our ambition to become the airline that everyone wants to fly. We鈥檙e looking for the world精东影业 best, who will embrace our passion for growing the airline and share our commitment to providing warm hospitality and a truly remarkable experience for our guests,鈥� Bastaki added.

Etihad cabin crew will have the opportunity to work across the airline精东影业 fleet including the superjumbo Airbus A380s, Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 777s, Airbus A350s and Airbus A320 and A321 family.

Requirements to be eligible for cabin crew application include the following:

Minimum of 21 years of age at time of application 

• Minimum height of 160 cm
• Able to inspire our guests through innovative hospitality
• Fluent in English (written and spoken)
• High school graduate (Grade 12)
• No visible tattoos while you鈥檙e in your Etihad cabin crew uniform (cosmetic and bandage coverings aren鈥檛 allowed)
• Comfortable to work irregular hours and on a roster

Interested candidates are invited to attend an Open Day, or register their interest and apply online at careers.etihad.com. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an in-person or virtual assessment.

Thousands of hopefuls line up for Emirates cabin crew open day in Manila

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-04-09

Thanks to the Golden Age of Travel, being a stewardess or a flight attendant was a dream job for many from the 1960s up until the 80s and 90s. 

But do children these days still want to become flight attendants? Perhaps some do, but it no longer seems to be as desirable a career ambition.

In 2019 of children aged eight to 12 year olds from the United Kingdom, the United States and China, showing that youngsters hold the following professions in high regard: influencer (vlogger / YouTuber), teacher, professional athlete, musician and astronaut. 

In fact, flight attendant is does not even rank in the top 20 childhood dream jobs for American children in this . 

The pandemic saw a spike in unruly passengers, a trend that has continued into the present, which has begun to take its toll on the mental well-being of flight attendants. So it may be safe to say that children today are better off dreaming of a career as a professional vlogger or athlete instead of taking to the skies.

People still want to become flight attendants 

According to , a company that provides training to flight attendant aspirants, the competition for applicants is still 鈥渋ntense鈥� with 1 to 1.5 million flight attendant applications being received for 5,000 to 10,000 jobs.

While becoming a flight attendant may no longer be a childhood dream, the profession is still an attractive proposition thanks to social media, where j entice millions of followers to take up the seemingly glamorous high-flying, and often high-paying, role.

Source: @flightattendantclub Instagram account

Recently, an Australian flight attendant working for Emirates revealed that she makes about , tax and rent-free working in the airline精东影业 economy cabin, and can rake in much more when assigned to business and first class.

Add to that the travel benefits that come with the job and it精东影业 no wonder people are still lining up to try their luck at becoming a flight attendant. 

In April 2024, Emirates held an open day recruitment in Manila. Thousands of applicants from all over the country lined up as early as 01:00 even though the screening hours were from 07:00 – 11:00.

The long queue of hopefuls later spilled out into the streets and nearby roads.

A new element

Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the common disadvantages or cons associated with being a flight attendant were:

• Being on call
• Time away from home
• Irregular working hours
• Frequent time zone changes
• Weekend and holiday work
• Exposure to cosmic radiation

When air travel finally returned after the pandemic, no one could anticipate the rise of a new disadvantage for flight attendants to regularly deal with – unruly and disruptive passengers. 

With flight attendants being punched, stabbed, and copping for all sorts of abuse from unruly passengers, it can be quite astonishing to see that being a flight attendant is still a highly-coveted career. 

Cases where unruly passengers have endangered the welfare of flight attendants have increased so much that in 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration精东影业 (FAA) former administrator, Steve Dickson, directing a stricter legal enforcement policy against unruly airline passengers in the wake of troubling incidents.聽

Image source: faa.gov

The administration estimated that there were 4.4 unruly passenger incidents for every 10,000 flights.

This may seem like a small number. But as of April 2022, there have been 1,272 reports of unruly passengers, 386 investigations launched, and 206 enforcement action cases initiated.

Just look at the spike in unruly passenger behavior investigations post-pandemic.

Source : faa.gov

Although the spike in unruly passenger incidents experienced in 2021 appears to have subsided, the situation remains nearly twice as severe as before the pandemic. The FAA reported 2,075 incidents in 2023, compared to 1,161 in 2019. As of April 28, 2024, the FAA has received 649 reports of unruly passengers.

Is enforcement enough?

The surge of unruly flight passengers in recent years has concerned the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which in April 2024 sought to ratify a treaty to prosecute offenders.

The United Nations (UN) global aviation body raised the issue on the 10th anniversary of Montreal Protocol 2014 or MP 14.

However, the protocol, which came into force on January 1, 2020, has only been ratified by 47 member states. 

ICAO seeks to ratify treaty to enable prosecution of unruly flight passengers

• Aviation Safety

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-04-09

Currently, when a passenger becomes disruptive during a flight, the terms of the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (Tokyo Convention 1963) come into play. This means that the offender is bound by the laws of the country in which the aircraft is registered, which is not necessarily the country in which the aircraft lands.

In 2021, the FAA ordered stricter legal enforcement, but it was not enough to protect flight attendants.

It also seems to have done little to deter passengers from behaving badly, with the to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for criminal prosecution review in the first quarter of 2023. 

Below are just a few of the FAA referrals to the FBI in 2023:

• March 2023: Tried to open an aircraft door and use a makeshift weapon to assault a flight attendant.
• January 2023: Inappropriately touched a 17-year-old passenger.
• January 2023: Refused to remain seated, acted erratically, said he needed to fly the aircraft.
• January 2023: Assaulted a female passenger.
• January  2023: Assaulted a flight attendant.
• December 2022: Assaulted flight attendants and passengers.
• December 2022:  Tried to strike a flight attendant and enter the flight deck.
• December 2022: Assaulted, threatened and intimidated flight attendants.

A call to ban unruly passengers

In April 2023, the Association of Flight Attendants to support a bill called the Protection from Abusive Passengers Act.

The legislation sought to ban passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flights. The banned passengers would be separate from the FBI精东影业 no-fly list, which is intended to prevent people suspected of terrorism from flying.

The bill aims to improve the safety of aviation workers and passengers.

鈥淭his legislation would provide another important tool to crack down on offenders convicted of physical or sexual assault or intimidation of the flight crew or fellow passengers onboard an aircraft or at the airport. Right now, a passenger can be fined or convicted, and may be banned on an individual airline 鈥� but that does not prevent this violent offender from flying another airline,鈥� the Association of Flight Attendants said in a press release dated April 2023.

Flight attendants push back: Popcorn and rice gate

It精东影业 important to realize that on top of dealing with unruly passengers, flight attendants are also having to cope with the stress of post-pandemic travel, including increased workload and reduced pay due to staff shortages. These can lead to mental and physical fatigue.

April 2023 was an interesting month for commercial flight and saw two intriguing cases where flight attendants had pushed back against bad behavior.

The first case was the now-renowned 鈥淧opcorn gate鈥� which divided opinions of netizens. 

In a now-deleted tweet (and Twitter account), Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass recounted how a United Airlines flight attendant asked his 22-week pregnant wife, who was also traveling with their five and two year old children, to 鈥済et on her hands and knees鈥� and pick up the popcorn mess made by his youngest daughter. 

The story stoked a variety of opinions, with some saying that while it was wrong of the flight attendant to ask the pregnant mother to clean up the mess, she should have cleaned up after her own child. Some comments also asked Bass why he did not clean up the mess left by his child. 

“Popcorn gate” was closely followed by an incident dubbed “rice gate”, where a Southwest Airlines flight was delayed for an hour after no one would admit to spilling rice in the aircraft aisle. 

According to passengers, flight attendants refused to allow the pilot to take off until someone cleaned up the rice. One flight attendant walked up and down the aisle, asking who had made the mess. Another flight attendant eventually cleaned up the rice after an hour, but not without giving passengers a sharp scolding about being raised correctly.

What would you do?

Beige de Lange is a former senior cabin crew and flight service instructor for Asiana Airlines who has more than 22 years of experience in the industry. 

In an interview with 精东影业, de Lange said that she believes that passenger expectations of flight attendants have evolved over time.

鈥淧assengers have forgotten all about proper demeanor and etiquette. They cannot tell the difference between a five-star airline and a five-star hotel. They expect the same, not considering the safety risks,鈥� de Lange said.

Referring to 鈥淧opcorn gate鈥�, de Lange believes there are two sides to the story. 

She said: 鈥淚 am not sure if there was a previous conversation between the mother and the flight attendant. I am certain that this couldn’t have just been about popcorn on the floor by a child. If the flight attendant wanted to make a point, she could’ve picked up some of the popcorn and asked the mother to at least help her out if it is a matter of principle.鈥�

Humor can also be used in customer service as a way to be firm without sweating the small stuff. 

Speaking of the 鈥淩ice gate鈥� issue, de Lange said: 鈥淭he flight attendant has probably had enough, but the screaming and the delay were unnecessary. If she wanted to make a point, she could have included it in her announcement and made a joke out of it: 鈥楾o the passenger who dropped the rice, you may now redeem it from the galley together with your lunch鈥�.鈥�

To get a traveling parent精东影业 point of view, 精东影业 also spoke to a mother of four who frequently flies with her children. Brooke, not her real name, is based in Hong Kong and travels 200+ days out of a year with all children aged 10 and below. 

Brooke believes that kindness can go a long way, for both flight attendants and parents. 

鈥淚t精东影业 already stressful enough traveling with small children, so flight attendants could be kinder to parents. But also, as a parent, if I really needed help, I would ask the flight attendant kindly to help me with the chore, not merely ask the flight attendant to do it for me or my kids,鈥� Brooke said.

鈥淎s a former flight attendant myself, I empathize with what flight attendants are going through and always bear that in mind whenever I travel,鈥� she added. 

The solution

Passengers behaving badly is not just exclusive to the US. In 2022, experienced by cabin crew were reported in the UK. That is three times the number of cases recorded pre-COVID. 

Flight attendants across the globe have also reached boiling point. In 2022, an IndiGo flight attendant was seen engaging in a shouting match with a passenger after confusion over the meal service.

In March 2023, two flight attendants walked off a flight after a heated argument with each other resulted in a flight delay. 

In April 2025, an American Airlines flight attendant locked a mother and child in an aircraft lavatory, resulting in the airline facing a lawsuit.  

The smallest things are also driving passengers to engage in the most bizarre behaviors, such as assaulting flight crew members over unsatisfactory meal presentation and throwing a massive tantrum or even forcibly kissing a flight attendant when refused pre-departure drinks.

Whether the outrageous antics of both passengers and flight attendants are justified or not, one thing is clear: the worldwide cannot be underestimated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide due to the pandemic. Those figures are from reported data. Millions more are undergoing mental and emotional stress in silence.

The Protection from Abusive Passengers Act is , and it can still be vetoed from becoming a law. Even then, the US Department of Justice itself said that the severity of punishment . 

The simple solution is to extend kindness on both sides. Everyone, flight attendants and passengers alike, are carrying varying degrees of personal stress so small acts of patience and courtesy can pay off. 

And if you find this a little too trite, think about it this way – your safety lies in the hands of flight attendants, so it would be wise to ensure their well-being.

Flight JQ 966 arrived at Cairns Airport (CNS) from Coolangatta Airport (OOL) in the Gold Coast at around 09:30 local time on May 30, 2024.

Passengers had disembarked the A320 aircraft when crew members noticed an unusual smell and began to feel nauseous.

One crew member started to feel faint and had to be supported by a colleague so she would not fall, a spokesperson for the airline told Australian media outlets.

Queensland Ambulance Service attended to crew members, who were given oxygen at the scene. Paramedics said the flight attendants experienced nausea, headaches, burning in their eyes and lightheadedness after reportedly being exposed to fumes on the aircraft.

The cabin crew members are now in stable condition and the aircraft will be investigated for the source of the fumes.

A similar incident occurred in December 2023 when three Spirit Airlines flight attendants were hospitalized in the United States after they were exposed to fumes while carrying out preflight checks on an aircraft. 

Troopers were sent to Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) and the flight attendants were subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.聽

Rex Airlines announces new route between Perth and Adelaide starting June 2024

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-30

Flight UA 806 departed Incheon Airport at around 11:36 local time on May 19, 2024. However, less than four hours into the flight, when the B777-200 aircraft reached the northeast region of Japan, it made a U-turn and headed back to Incheon Airport.

According to Korean media outlet the Chosun Ilbo, the official reason for the flight精东影业 turnaround was marked as 鈥渙ther matters鈥�, a category which could include problems such as food poisoning among crew members. Pilots and co-pilots are given different meals during flights for this reason. 

Although it is not clear how the crew became struck down with food poisoning, the Chosun Ilbo reported that there is some speculation that the crew may have eaten a meal together before flying. 

A passenger who was on the flight was able to take video footage of the moment a flight attendant announced the diversion. 

A flight attendant can be heard delivering the news, her shaky voice and delivery suggesting that she might be feeling unwell.

The flight landed safely at Incheon Airport at 15:57 local time. 

A United Airlines spokesperson told the Chosun Ilbo: 鈥淔light UA806 was diverted due to food poisoning among the captain and crew鈥�. 

The spokesperson added that the airline is investigating the cause of the incident. 

There were no reports of passengers from flight UA 806 falling ill or experiencing symptoms of food poisoning.聽

British Airways serves KFC on international flight after catering mishap

• Airlines
• This is interesting!

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-07-25

According to the US Attorney精东影业 Office of the Southern District of New York, the flight attendants have been charged in connection with their 鈥測ears-long participation in smuggling narcotics trafficking proceeds from the United States to the Dominican Republic on commercial flights鈥�.

The defendants, identified as Charlie Hernandez, 42; Sarah Valerio Pujols, 24; Emmanuel Torres, 34; and Jarol Fabio, 35, were arrested on May 7, 2024. 

The four have been accused of engaging in drug money smuggling activity from New York精东影业 John F Kennedy Airport (JFK) to the Dominican Republic from 2015 to at least 2022. During those years, all of the defendants were employed as flight attendants with different international airlines that operated routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic.  

鈥淎s alleged, these flight attendants smuggled millions of dollars of drug money and law enforcement funds that they thought was drug money from the United States to the Dominican Republic over many years by abusing their privileges as airline employees,鈥� US Attorney Damian Williams said in a . 

鈥淭oday精东影业 charges should serve as a reminder to those who break the law by helping drug traffickers move their money that crime doesn鈥檛 pay,鈥� Williams added. 

According to the official complaint, the flight attendants used their privileges as members of the , which allows airline employees to go through a separate, expedited security lane before going to the terminals. 

Prosecutors alleged that the four have smuggled a total of around $8 million in bulk cash to the Dominican Republic.

Family of woman killed by husband at airport sues Delta for overserving alcohol

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-02-12

On May 9, 2024, Air India Express announced that its passengers would face more disruptions due to the airline being forced to cancel around 85 flights and was subsequently being supported by parent company, Air India.聽聽

“We will be operating 283 flights today. We have mobilized all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes. However, 85 of our flights stand cancelled and we urge our guests booked to fly with us to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport,” Air India Express said in a statement. 

According to the , on May 8, 2023, Air India Express had to delay or cancel 87 flights following a mass exodus of staff due to sickness.聽聽

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by unprecedented flight delays and cancellations. While we are working hard to minimise disruptions, please check your flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is impacted, please reach out鈥�

— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX)

The airline said it didn鈥檛 have 鈥渢ime to react鈥� and it had been unable to reach absent cabin crew staff because their mobile phone had been switched off. 

According to , the airline informed the news agency that it was “taking appropriate steps” against some staff members who reported being sick at the last minute.聽

Around 30 cabin crew have been sacked so far while others have been given an ultimatum to return to work by 16:00 today or face action, 谤别辫辞谤迟别诲.听听

It is understood that employees at the airline are unhappy with new employment terms since the Tata Group took over the company in 2022.  

Sneak peek: New Air India A320neo livery spotted at Airbus facility in Toulouse

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06

The updated uniform follows a successful trial held over the last year where staff responded positively to the change during feedback.  

KLM confirmed that from May 6, 2024, staff will be allowed to 鈥渨ear sneakers under their uniform鈥� to help promote comfort during work and support well-being.聽聽

Pilots and cabin crew members will be able to choose between sporting their own sneakers (which must meet certain requirements) or purchasing the specially developed KLM sneaker designed by Filling Pieces.聽

To Allow Tennis Shoes With Uniform

Starting May 6, KLM is allowing its staff to wear sneakers with their uniforms for the first time in the airline's 104-year history. This change is meant to offer more comfort during work hours and boost employee well-being.

— A Fly Guy's Crew Lounge (@AFlyGuyTravels)

鈥淚n the past year, I have been able to test sneakers as a sustainable part of my uniform. After years of the classic look of pumps, I now wear sneakers with great pleasure! They give me a good start towards a good flight,鈥� Willeke van den Boomgaard, Senior Purser at KLM, said. 

No doubt once KLM passengers see the stylish footwear for themselves during flights, they will be keen to get their own feet on a pair.  

鈥淏y allowing sneakers, KLM is responding to the demand for more comfortable work shoes. Some colleagues who wear pumps would like an alternative. Wearing sneakers under a uniform is becoming more common among airlines and is in line with current times,鈥� a spokesperson for the airline said.聽

Lufthansa Group makes $785M Q1 loss but outlook remains positive for summer 2024聽

• Airlines
• Aviation Economics & Finance

byLuke Peters

2024-05-01

The applicants lined up for an Emirates open day in Manila on April 8, 2024, the first time the airline has opened recruitment for cabin crew in the country after a 14-year hiring freeze.

Video footage posted to a cabin crew recruitment Facebook group in the Philippines showed applicants from all over the country started to line up as early as 01:00 local time, even though screening hours were only from 07:00-11:00. 

Later in the day, video clips uploaded on social media platforms showed thousands of applicants lined up, with the queue spilling out onto the streets and reaching the road.

Once applicants reached the Industrial Personnel and Management Services (IPAMS) building, the airline精东影业 local recruitment agency, they were met with the first screening procedure: height measurement.

The airline has a minimum height requirement of 160cm (five feet two inches), and an arm reach of at least 212 cm. In the Philippines, where the average height of women is 150cm (four feet 11 inches), this requirement can be challenging.

In the footage, applicants can be seen removing their high-heeled shoes and standing against a measuring rod set up by the door of the recruitment agency building. Those who fell short of the requirement were asked to leave.

According to local aviation blogger Mond Ortiz, the applicant queue for Emirates was significantly longer than the one seen by Qatar Airways when it held a recruitment drive in the country in 2022. 

Based on his personal surveys, Ortiz revealed that Emirates is the top choice for aspiring cabin crew in the country, followed by Philippine Airlines.

Ortiz said Emirates recruitment is known to be more 鈥渞igorous and challenging鈥� compared to competitor airlines, with recruiters being selective who they choose to fill the limited spots. This is attributed to Emirates’ reputation for taking exceptional care of their cabin crew, along with attractive compensation.

In an emailed statement to 精东影业, Emirates said that it is looking to recruit 5,000 cabin crew globally this financial year in line with our growth and expansion.

“This recruitment day aligns with our unwavering commitment to our customers, who look forward to the exceptional services delivered by our multinational crew, and our support for the local community,” an Emirates spokesperson said.

Emirates鈥� recruitment process consists of several stages. Once applicants pass the initial screening, they are invited to an interview with the airline, and further assessment and test days are conducted.

Successful applicants will then undergo an intense seven and a half weeks of training in Dubai. 

Based on the airlines鈥� website, starting pay for new flight attendants average to AED 10,170 (USD 2770) per month.

Emirates launches cabin crew recruitment drive in Australia amid demand growth

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2023-06-07

Posted initially by the company精东影业 CEO, James Asquith, on February 27, 2024, the social media post and photo was then reshared by the Global Airlines main X (formally Twitter) account.  

鈥淪NEAK PEAK – Our @globalairlines – Cabin Crew uniforms continue to evolve as design work continues towards the finished product. These are not quite our final finished uniforms, but they are getting closer to it,鈥� Asquith wrote.聽

SNEAK PEAK – Our Cabin Crew uniforms continue to evolve as design work continues towards the finished product. These are not quite our final finished uniforms but they are getting closer to it – and with one of the questions I get the most being: 鈥渨hen are Global鈥�

— James Asquith (@james_asquith)

The photo featured two women dressed in contrasting red uniforms, but with matching hats.  

One of the woman精东影业 uniforms featured a red blazer accompanied by a skirt while the other was pictured in a red fitted dress.  

Both uniforms were finished off with a colored scarf, black gloves and black high heel shoes. 

According to Asquith, one of the most common questions he is asked regarding the new airline, is 鈥渨hen are Global hiring cabin crew?鈥�.  

鈥淭rust me, we are so excited to bring on the most amazing cabin crew out there and create a lovely 鈥榳ork鈥� environment. We want people to feel like family at Global, and to love their passion for flying around the world, with great layovers, and good pay. All I can say for now is鈥oon, but by God I can鈥檛 wait,鈥� Asquith added in his post. 

The new post comes off the back of Global Airlines completing its first initial test flights with its new Airbus A380-841 aircraft.聽

This is 9H-GLOBL. The first fully owned aircraft in the Global fleet.

Putting her in the sky last week was a huge milestone and an emotional one at that! But it did not happen overnight. It represented over a year of negotiation, inspections, challenges and hundreds of hours of鈥�

— Global Airlines (@globalairlines)

The Airbus A380, registered 9H-GLOBL, took off from Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV) in the Californian desert on February 15, 2024, just before 09:00 (PST). 

Global Airlines took full ownership of 9H-GLOBL, which was previously owned by China Southern, on February 2, 2024, de-registering it in the United States (US) and re-registering in Malta. 

The airline plans to launch Airbus A380 transatlantic flights from London to New York and Los Angeles later this year. 

British start-up Global Airlines completes first Airbus A380 test flights in US

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-02-16