- Winding-up petition filed against Global Airlines on 29 May 2026
- Third petition in one year, previous two withdrawn
- No AOC, relies on Hi Fly Malta wet-lease arrangement
- Only four passenger flights operated in history
- Sole aircraft stored at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées since July 2025
A winding-up petition was lodged in England High Court against the ambitious British startup Global Airlines Ltd on 29 May 2026, with US-based creditor Jessica Huffman Reese seeking the compulsory liquidation of the airline over unpaid debts. The petition, case number CR2026004213, was filed via The Gazette by a commercial law firm specialising in aviation finance. The legal action does not mean Global Airlines is insolvent or has officially ceased operations, as the petition could still be dismissed by the court or withdrawn by the creditor.
This represents the third time in roughly a year that the carrier has faced a winding-up application, with petitions filed in August 2025 and March 2026 both subsequently withdrawn after resolutions were reached. The current petition remains active on the court file following initial hearings in July and on 2 September, with the case due back in the High Court of Justice on 15 September 2026. Global Airlines does not hold its own Air Operator Certificate and relies entirely on a wet-lease arrangement with Hi Fly Malta to function as a virtual airline.
The airline has only operated four passenger flights in its history, briefly running charter operations between England and New York in May 2025. Its sole aircraft, registration 9H-GLOBL, has been parked in long-term storage at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport in France since July 2025, awaiting an expensive 12-year heavy maintenance check which founder James Asquith claims has been delayed due to a global shortage of maintenance slots. Despite these setbacks, the company maintains it intends to get the aircraft back in the air by the end of 2026 and target future routes to the Maldives, though no tickets or flight schedules have materialised.
James Asquith, Founder of Global Airlines, shared: “The airline has faced regulatory hurdles but we remain committed to our vision for luxury transatlantic travel.” Asquith added: “We intend to get the aircraft back in the air by the end of 2026.” Asquith confirmed: “Global Airlines targets future routes to the Maldives as part of our network expansion plans.”
