Etihad’s Ex-CEO Joins Global Airlines Team
So, let’s dive into the curious saga of Global Airlines, the supposed brainchild of the aviation world, which is arranging to take “one-off flights later this month,” according to whispers on the wind. Every time the plot thickens, they manage to surprise me with another unexpected twist. It’s like watching a soap opera with airplanes. The entertainment value? Off the charts!
James Hogan Becomes Global Airlines Advisor & Shareholder
Hold your breath! Global Airlines just announced a peculiar alliance. They’ve brought Knighthood Global on board as a strategic advisor, and somehow, this firm is now a shareholder too. You can’t make this up.
Knighthood Global? Founded by none other than former Etihad CEO James Hogan and his right-hand man, ex-CFO James Rigney. These are the masterminds behind the bold yet disastrous Etihad Airways Partners strategy. Remember when Etihad fell into the airberlin, Air Serbia, and Jet Airways quagmire? How could we forget the $1 sale of Air Seychelles?! The “invest billions, pocket a dollar” mantra didn’t work like a charm. After bleeding nearly $5 billion in just three years, Hogan said goodbye to Etihad.
Now they’re plunging into Global Airlines. It’s like watching someone try to reboot the Fyre Festival. Weren’t there any other options available?
For a laugh, check out Hogan’s bio on the Knighthood Global site. It narrates a magical tale of turning a $300 million company into a $20 billion empire. A billion here, a billion there—it’s all interstellar math, folks!
In reality, since Hogan left, Etihad remarkably turned around, and now there’s talk of a $5 billion IPO. Yet, they claim it was worth $20 billion during its $5 billion loss years. Time travel economics, perhaps?
Don’t Worry, Big Things Are Coming for Global Airlines!
Let’s dissect the latest from Global Airlines’ PR wheelhouse:
With James Hogan and his twin tower of talent, James Rigney, joining forces with Global Founder and CEO, James Asquith, the team is prepped to tackle finance and operations while gathering funds. Also, Knighthood is waving its shareholder flag proudly, planning the grander chapters of Global’s adventure and dealing with UK AOC red tape.
A big splash looms for 2025 with more widebody aircraft, but those whispers echo from as far back as 2023. Back then, Global Airlines, the fresh face in long-haul, claimed it was lining up four A380s for a 2024 debut. If déjà vu had frequent flyer miles…
Yet here they stand, promising the skies to anyone willing to listen, proving anything is possible if you scribble it in a press release.
Global Airlines now predicts a fleet expansion with their lone A380 morphing into a giant flock. This continuation from their earlier declarations feels like a remix of dated promises. Circa 2023, they talked about four A380s taking flight by spring 2024. It’s a cyclical saga that keeps us coming back for more head-scratching.
There’s a thumb-twiddling eagerness for transformation, but to coin our age-old favorite, “Actions speak louder…”
But hey, amidst all this, maybe a trip to the Val Seny ski resort would provide a perfect escape from this aviation melodrama.
Bottom Line
When reality feels like fiction, sometimes you chuckle, sometimes you marvel. Knighthood Global’s dance with Global Airlines adds another chapter to the book of quandaries. James Hogan and James Rigney’s track record at Etihad speaks volumes, losing nearly $5 billion. The past may not be the future, but it certainly casts a shadow.
What are your thoughts on this latest twist in the tale?