- Mr Plane Guy
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
This Week's Plane News
01 February 2026
By Mr Plane Guy, Travel Blogger, Flight Expert & Plane GEEK
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this blog running (and fuels my habit of buying overpriced lattes at the airport). Thanks for your support! Note: I’m also not a financial advisor just sharing my experience.
Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks.
Confession time: Dry January didn’t quite survive take-off. Okay, maybe just two or three beers… which I’m calling a soft landing. In my defence, have you tried Eurostar’s own IPA onboard? Surprisingly decent.
This week I’ve been working on a TikTok with SafetyWing travel insurance, and honestly, their Nomad cover has been a lifesaver. I live between the Netherlands and the UK, spend a fair bit of time in France, and after the amount of disruption I’ve had lately, it’s more than paid for itself. Knowing you’re covered when things go wrong is massively underrated.
And speaking of things going wrong… travel disruption feels relentless right now. Snow, weather, FOD, strikes, technical faults, you name it. I turned up for a Eurostar to London that was cancelled just 10 minutes before departure, and a few days later my next train was scrapped too. Reasons ranged from Belgian strikes to tunnel issues.
Which neatly leads me on to a cheeky little offer for my readers…
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Let’s arm doors for departure for this week’s Plane News.
This week in Plane News:
AirHelp+ is an annual travel protection membership.
Aer Lingus has now formally confirmed the closure of its long-haul operation from Manchester.
New routes including, Harare, Toronto, Jeddah, Stuttgart & Cologne!
Birmingham Airport has revealed plans for a major airside refresh.
Bag 5,000 Bonus Virgin Points.
British Airways Club members can currently boost Avios by up to 500%.
Vueling Says Adiós to AviosHere’s What You Need to Know.
✉️ Subscribe to Plane News Weekly for exclusive flight deals, loyalty tips, and aviation updates every Sunday. Sign up here.
Boarding Announcements, New Routes & Airline Updates
Aer Lingus has now formally confirmed the closure of its long-haul operation from Manchester, following my reports a few weeks ago. The final long-haul departures are:
Manchester → New York JFK: ends 23 February 2026
Manchester → Orlando: ends 23 March 2026
Manchester → Barbados: ends 27 March 2026
Aer Lingus will operate Dublin → Barbados flights in April and May 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
Virgin Atlantic says it’s increasing capacity on Manchester → Orlando, with larger A350 aircraft planned on the route. If you’re flying Virgin, it’s worth signing up to Virgin Red for points and perks, I’ve covered that in more detail separately.
TUI Airways is also increasing its Manchester → Melbourne (Florida)/Orlando summer seasonal service from two to three weekly flights from 29 May 2026, with extra frequency during Scottish school holidays.
Air Zimbabwe plans to launch Harare → London Gatwick from June 2026, using two Boeing 777s acquired from Malaysia Airlines.
Air Canada will operate Toronto → Manchester with four weekly flights during Winter 2026.
Wizz Air is doubling capacity on London Gatwick → Jeddah, increasing from once to twice daily flights from 1 September 2026.
Eurowings is adding two new Gatwick routes:
Stuttgart → London Gatwick from 13 April 2026
Cologne/Bonn → London Gatwick from 29 March 2026
Pre-Flight, Lounge & Airport Experience
Birmingham Airport has revealed plans for a major airside refresh, bringing more natural light, improved runway views, expanded dining options, and a new executive business lounge aimed at its growing business travel market. A key new arrival is Wagamama, which will open at Birmingham Airport this summer.
Frequent Flyer Briefing, Loyalty Offers & Points
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Want proof it works? 👉 Here’s how I turned Tesco points into an actual flight
And if you want the full Virgin Red & Virgin Points guide its here and my review of that Virgin Atlantic Premium flight to New York.
Plane Avios Tip of the Week:
Plane Avios Tip of the Week: British Airways Club members can currently boost Avios by up to 500%, dropping the cost to as low as 0.92p per Avios if you do it right. It’s a rare window where buying Avios can genuinely make sense, but only if you already have a trip or upgrade in mind. Used well, this can unlock serious value for 2026 bookings; used blindly, it’s an easy way to overpay. I’ve broken down exactly how the boost works, the traps to avoid, and who this is actually worth it for 👉 Read the full details on how it works here
Vueling Says Adiós to AviosHere’s What You Need to Know
Plane Points & Miles Loyalty Alert: Vueling, IAG’s budget carrier, has quietly killed off Avios earning for most casual flyers. Under its new Vueling Club rules, you won’t earn a single Avios until you either take three flights or spend €200 (excluding taxes) in a membership year a big shift that could worry British Airways flyers if it spreads across IAG. There is some balance though: Iberia has launched an Avios redemption sale with up to 40% off. If you’ve not flown Vueling before, here’s my 👉 honest Vueling review:
Reward Flight Finder
If you’re serious about using Avios properly, this is one of the tools you need.
Reward Flight Finder shows you up to 355 days of British Airways reward availability on one simple page.
Takeoff, Travel Deals & Flight Opportunities
This Week's PLANE FLIGHT DEAL OF THE WEEK
Return trips from London Heathrow (LHR):
Sydney from £476
TRAVEL DATES
March-June (example trips below)
AIRLINE
Air China, China Eastern
STANDARD FARE
From £1000 (incl. bag)
BAGS & FEES
Full-sized cabin bag and 1-2 checked bags included.
BOOK BY
A day or two.
More details here about how to
Plane Talk, Insider Insight & Reader Engagement
Have a lounge or route you’d like reviewed? Drop a comment or DM me on Instagram, your question might feature in next week’s edition!
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I’m Mr Plane Guy, sharing UK airline news, flight deals, and loyalty tips with a Plane Honest perspective and loyalty tips each week.
I test lounges, try new routes, and offer practical travel hacks so you can fly smarter, save money, and make the most of your points.
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That’s it for this week’s Plane News Weekly. As always, thanks for reading, supporting the site, and flying smarter with me.
Same time next Sunday. ✈️
Mr Plane Guy
Plane News This Week, 01 February 2026
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