Finnair eyes Melbourne, a major Avios win for Australia Jet2 loads winter routes from Gatwick Norse Atlantic reliability under the microscope Gatwick drop-off jumps to £10, how to avoid it Manchester Airport’s new hub is changing parking prices Flight deal of the week: Barbados return for £267

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks from the skies. This week like everyone else I have been running around buying things for Christmas, if you're still wondering what to get people then maybe you should get them a Priority Pass, who wouldn't love discounted airport lounge access all year round?

JetBlue has finally opened its first-ever airport lounge, BlueHouse at JFK Terminal 5. Designed to feel more like a New York apartment than a typical airport lounge, it’s a huge upgrade for JetBlue flyers who’ve been left lounge-less for years. I break down who gets access, what’s inside, and how it compares to Priority Pass lounges at JFK and whether it’s actually worth arriving early for.

Launched with big promises of cheaper fares, free seats and bundled travel insurance, Prime was supposed to be Ryanair’s answer to frequent flyer loyalty, without actually being loyal. But behind the scenes, the maths clearly wasn’t mathing. As of 28 November, Ryanair has confirmed that no new customers can join Prime, quietly ending one of the shortest-lived “loyalty” experiments in airline history. Existing members will keep their perks until their 12-month term expires, b

If you’re searching for flights to Barbados, dreaming of St Lucia holidays, or planning a winter Caribbean holiday, Virgin Atlantic has just dropped one of its biggest upgrades in years. Two new interline partnerships, plus boosted inter-island flying, now make it easier than ever to reach more islands, build a multi-stop itinerary, and enjoy the Caribbean the way it should be: smooth, sunshine-filled and stress-free. It’s exactly the kind of news I love for Plane Luxury

Manchester Airport has entered a new chapter as Terminal 1 begins its final shutdown, ending more than 60 years of service. With the last airlines now moved to the modernised Terminal 2, only Ryanair remains connected to Terminal 1 and even that setup is changing fast.

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new loyalty perk called High Five, and honestly…it’s a bit of a strategic wink from Sir Richard. From January 2026, if you’ve flown Virgin Atlantic in any five separate years between 2021 and 2025, you’ll get: 👉 12,000 Virgin Red points 👉 Plus 10% bonus points on all future flights (if you’re not already elite) And yes, this DOES include reward flights.

Jet2 Holidays Take Off from London Gatwick Big news for southern sun-seekers: Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have officially announced a brand-new base at London Gatwick, taking off from March 2026.It’s the airline’s 14th UK base a major move that gives millions of travellers across the South East even easier access to their award-winning package holidays. From the South Terminal, Jet2 will base five brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft (with another stationed overseas), flying to

From One Orange Plane to Europe’s Favourite Low-Cost Airline Thirty years ago today 10 November 1995 a single orange Boeing 737 took off from London Luton to Glasgow, and the world of air travel was never quite the same again. That first flight, captained by Fred Rivett, launched a revolution. easyJet made it possible for millions to “fly to Scotland for the price of a pair of jeans” just £29 one-way, a cheeky slogan that would go on to define an entire generation of trave

Pack your patience, that’s the phrase every traveller needs to hear this week.With the U.S. government shutdown now approaching its 40th day, more than 1,000 flights have been cancelled and over 5,000 delayed across America. The FAA has ordered a 4% cut to daily flights at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, including New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta ATL, and LAX and warns that could rise to 15 – 20% if the shutdown continues.

Frequent Flyer Briefing, Loyalty Offers & Points Loyalty programs continue to offer significant benefits for frequent travellers. You can earn 2,000 Virgin Flying Club points via the refer-a-friend program, a quick and easy way to boost your balance.

Wait, What? Wizz Air… Business Class?! No, it’s not April Fools’ Day.Wizz Air yes, the ultra-low-cost, pink-and-purple powerhouse that charges you extra if you look at the overhead bins too long is actually trialling a business-class-style product this December.

Norse Atlantic Airways has launched its first-ever direct flight from London Gatwick to Bangkok, opening up a new low-cost link between the UK and Thailand just in time for the 2025/26 winter sun rush. Norse Atlantic Airways launches direct Gatwick–Bangkok flights from £429 return. Discover routes, fares, and luxury-for-less Thai escapes. The inaugural Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner touched down at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport on 27 October 2025 to a Thai-style welcome, complete wi

Virgin Atlantic is finally heading to Thailand and it’s about time. From 18 October 2026, the airline will launch direct flights from London Heathrow to Phuket, operating three times a week. The route marks Virgin’s first ever direct link to Thailand and a major step into Asia’s booming premium leisure market.

Flights Delayed More Than Before the Pandemic, New Data Shows If you feel like your flights are running later than ever, you’re not imagining it. According to new data from Which? and the Civil Aviation Authority, passengers flying with six of the UK’s biggest airlines are now facing worse delays than before the pandemic. In the year to April 2025, every major UK airline performed worse than it did in 2019, with TUI, Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and British Airways all

The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards 2025 have revealed the world’s best airlines, and I’ll be honest a few of the results nearly made me spit out my Pret latte at Heathrow T5. More than 900,000 readers voted for their favourite airlines this year, split into short-haul and long-haul categories. Some results were predictable, others genuinely eyebrow-raising. It’s been a record year for UK travellers too, 95 million trips abroad last year, according to The Times’ Cathy

National Geographic has just revealed its Top 25 Travel Destinations for 2026, and alongside bucket-list heavyweights like Fiji, Beijing, and the Dolomites, there’s a surprise entry: Hull, Yorkshire, England right here in the UK.

A New Era for Train Travel Between London and Europe Eurostar has just announced plans to launch Britain’s first-ever double-decker trains a huge leap forward for high-speed travel and a major milestone for anyone planning a quick city break from London.

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks from the skies. Let's start this week PLANE strong!

Qatar Airways has officially touched down at one of the Middle East’s most anticipated new destinations the Red Sea International Airport (RSI) on Saudi Arabia’s west coast. The airline now operates three weekly non-stop flights between Doha (Hamad International Airport) and the Red Sea, adding this coastal luxury hotspot as its 12th Saudi destination.