Global Crossing Airlines, or GlobalX, has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In a company statement released on August 4, Global Crossing Airlines says it is pleased to announce that it has received its AOC authorizing it as a US 121 flag and supplemental carrier.Once it has received its final authorization from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), GlobalX will become the newest airline in the United States. GlobalX plans to begin operations with what it calls its "Birds of Play," a 15 and half-year-old Airbus A320-200 and a just over 16-year-old Airbus A321-200.
US 121 flag and supplemental carrier
US 121 flag and supplemental carrier certificated airlines are allowed to conduct one or more of three flights classifications which are:
- Domestic = Domestic flights within the United States
- Flag = flights to overseas destinations
- Supplemental = Charter or cargo flights
While listing the flights as domestic, flag, or supplemental, most major US airlines conduct all three types of operations. As an example, if Spirit Airlines were to operate a flight from Atlantic City (ACY) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), this would be a purely domestic flight within the United States to which all domestic flight rules would apply. The same aircraft then departs FLL for Kingston Airport (KIN) in Jamaica. This would be a flag flight in which different rules apply, including alternative airports, fuel, and crew rest.
Finally, let's say that Ocean City High School chartered a flight to send their girl's soccer team from ACY to a tournament in Atlanta. This would be classified as a supplemental flight in which some slightly different rules are applied. For this reason, when applying for an AOC in the United States, airlines opt to be a US 121 flag and supplemental carrier.
GlobalX has two planes
GlobalX will use the one-class configured 180 seat Airbus A320 and the 183 seat three-class configured Airbus A321-200 for charter flights within the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
When looking at the history of GlobalX's fleet, the aviation data and statistics website, ch-aviation provides the following information:
- Before joining GlobalX in April of this year, the Airbus A320-200 registered as N276GXÂ first flew for Japan's StarFlyer Airlines from 2006 until 2013 and then for Denver, Colorado-based Frontier Airlines from 2014 until 2020.
- Before joining GlobalX in April 2021, the Airbus A321 registered as N277GX first entered service with Vietnam Airlines in 2005. In 2012 the aircraft was transferred to Cambodia Angkor Air before returning to Vietnam Airlines in 2019.
The Airbus A320-200 is owned by the Middle East's largest aircraft leasing company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE Capital). The Airbus A321-200 is owned by Tallinn, Estonia-headquartered Magnetic Leasing, a subsidiary of Guangzhou Hangxin Aviation Technology.
GlobalX is based at MIA and ACY
With its planes based at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), GlobalX hopes to attract business from Atlantic City casinos and South Florida cruise lines. In its statement GlobalX also said its aircraft would be available to transport people to significant hotel and resort destinations together with incentive groups and cargo and logistics flights. GlobalX also noted that it is expecting two more Airbus aircraft during the second half of 2021.
What do you think of GlobalX's plans, and can they be successful flying from MIA and ACY? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments.