Mr Plane Guy Plane Blog,
Flight Reviews,
Airport Lounges
& Travel Hacks.

One of the UK's busiest airports made the headlines today after a water outage affected both terminals, leaving toilets unable to flush and many cafés and bars unable to serve drinks. Thankfully, flights continued operating, but it shows how quickly airport operations can be disrupted. It actually reminded me of my time working at Gatwick. On one particularly chaotic day, the airport's departure board system failed. Flights appeared to be departing from completely the wrong

Welcome back to another edition of Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, airport lounges, loyalty updates, travel deals and everything happening in the world of aviation. This has been one of those weeks where aviation completely took over my life... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Flights are still expensive. Airport sandwiches still require a small mortgage. But look at what's happening. London to Zanzibar is finally getting direct flights. Phuket is becoming easier to reach. Bangkok is returning to Manchester. And after decades of rumours, delays and aviation daydreams, direct London to Sydney flights are finally starting to feel real.

Welcome aboard this week's Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, loyalty updates, route launches, flight deals and Plane Honest travel experiences. This week got me thinking... Is luxury travel becoming more expensive whilst simultaneously becoming more accessible? I've just returned from Sardinia where I stayed at a supposedly five-star Hilton resort. I used Hilton Honors points to slash the cost of the stay from almost £2,000 to around £1,000 by buying

Welcome aboard this week's Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, airport chaos, loyalty updates, flight deals and "luxury for less" travel hacks. This week got me thinking... Are we slowly witnessing the death of traditional short-haul Business Class? Because one airline has just unveiled a Premium Economy product that honestly looks better than some Business Class cabins I've flown in recently. Meanwhile British Airways has launched more Avios-Only flig

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, airport chaos, loyalty updates, flight deals and “luxury for less” travel hacks. And honestly? This week I may have accidentally fallen deeper into the Hilton Honors rabbit hole. Because I’ve just booked a 5-star Hilton resort in Sardinia that should have cost well over £2,000… …for roughly HALF the price. No scam.No weird timeshare presentation.No “attend this 4-hour hotel breakfast semin

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, loyalty updates, airport chaos, Avios drama and “luxury for less” travel hacks. And honestly? This week I discovered something horrifying… Birmingham Airport before a bank holiday. I genuinely think I aged three years in under two hours. Think: Alton Towers-style security queues overflowing toilets gate chaos lounges packed beyond capacity and people fighting over prosecco

Zanzibar has quietly become one of the hottest luxury-for-less destinations in the world right now. White sand beaches. Turquoise water. Rooftop cocktails in Stone Town. Luxury resorts that somehow still cost less than many European beach holidays. But getting there from the UK? Honestly… it’s never been particularly easy. On my own trip to Zanzibar, I flew Qatar Airways via Doha, you can read my full Qatar Airways Zanzibar flight review here. That could finally be changing

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, travel deals, airport chaos, loyalty updates and “luxury for less” travel hacks. This week I’ve basically lived inside airport lounges… and honestly? UK airport lounges are getting VERY interesting right now. Especially if you fly from Liverpool or Birmingham. Because Aspire may have quietly created one of the BEST regional airport lounge experiences in the UK. More on that in a second…

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals and travel hacks. And honestly? In my world right now, travel is starting to feel a little… tense. Politics, rising fuel prices, Middle East uncertainty, new virus outbreaks appearing again, and airlines tightening costs just before the busy Summer 2026 season. It genuinely feels like the industry is entering another tricky period. Fuel is now creeping towards

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks. This week I fell straight down an aviation rabbit hole. I watched an old BBC documentary on British Airways cabin crew training from 1987… and it instantly took me back to my own training days. The drills, the discipline, the intensity, it’s amazing how much has changed… and how much really hasn’t

Hilton made me Diamond for the day during a recent stay one of those surprise upgrades that should feel like a win. On paper, it came with the usual perks: room upgrade, drinks, a bit of “VIP” treatment. In reality, it didn’t quite land like that. I’ll be breaking it down properly soon, but if you want the unfiltered version, my latest TikTok already tells the story.

It’s been a bit of back-and-forth travel again (Netherlands life continues), and I’ve been deep in route planning for upcoming trips, but here’s the thing… I’m not searching for flights anymore. I’m letting the deals come to me. That’s why I still use Jack’s Flight Club and right now you can try it for £1

American Express has just launched a strong new offer. I personally use the Gold card, and I’ve got a referral link where the first few people, check it out below......... This week has been a bit of everything. I’ve been in Brussels and back and forth to the Netherlands (where I now live), and the weather has been… let’s just say unpredictable. Sunshine one minute, to snowfall! I’ve got an exciting collaboration coming up in April with a suitcase brand, which I’ll be sha

With ongoing tensions in the Middle East, my thoughts are first and foremost with everyone affected, that’s what really matters. From a travel perspective though, this could have a real knock-on effect on flight prices and routes heading into winter 2026, especially if disruption continues.

Ultra-low-cost airline Wizz Air has received approval to operate transatlantic flights between the United Kingdom and the United States. Yes, really. But before anyone starts imagining £99 flights to New York on a pink aircraft, there is an important detail. These flights will not be regular scheduled routes. Instead, the airline has been given permission to run charter transatlantic services, mainly transporting European football teams and fans travelling to the 2026 FIF

This week the aviation world has been watching the Middle East very closely. The escalating conflict involving Iran and the United States has already caused one of the largest disruptions to global air travel since the pandemic. More than 30,000 flights in and out of the region have been cancelled, leaving over a million passengers stranded as major hubs like Dubai and Doha face airspace restrictions and operational shutdowns. Dubai International Airport, normally the world

Like many of you, I’ve been watching developments in the Middle East closely. The region is home to some of the world’s largest global hubs, so when airspace closes, the ripple effect is immediate. Even if you’re not flying directly to Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, knock-on delays and aircraft repositioning can impact routes worldwide. As always, safety comes first but flexibility is key right now.

🚨 20% off Priority Pass Standard Plus ends 28 February.If you’re lounge-curious, now’s the moment. I’ve just flown from Gatwick twice in one week (Amsterdam and Brussels runs), which means I’m close to reviewing almost every lounge there! Emirates, you’re next. My latest visit: British Airways Lounge Gatwick South (2026): The Plane Honest Review and yes, I’ve got opinions Clubrooms Gatwick North still holds serious private-members-club energy.

This week I was dispatched to the tropical island of… Jersey. Yes, I really do get sent to some exotic locations from time to time. I flew over on British Airways, sorry, “Euroflyer”in Club Europe from Gatwick. Thanks to fog, we enjoyed a cute little two-hour delay at Gatwick. Naturally, this occurred just as the screens suddenly flashed gate closed while I was mid second pink gin fizz. I ran. I survived. I did not review the bathrooms. You probably won’t notice.