- Mr Plane Guy
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
This Week's Plane News
28 December 2025
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. Well I hope you’ve had a great Christmas. As we head into 2026, thank you for reading, sharing and DM’ing, it genuinely keeps Mr Plane Guy in the air. Let’s get into it.
This week in Plane News:
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
Earn 30 Avios per £1 spent on Shein! (Plus a 50% Bonus!)
Flight deal of the week: Barbados return for £267
✉️ 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
Jet2.com – London Gatwick
Jet2 Gatwick: Winter 2026/27 now on sale.
Earlier this year Jet2 announced a new London Gatwick base with lots of new routes, well they have just announced their winter routes. Does anything actually beat a Jet2 holiday?
Highlights include Alicante, Faro, Málaga, Malta, Geneva, Lanzarote and Sharm El Sheikh.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
🇵🇰 Islamabad → London Heathrow, launches 30 March 2026
IndiGo launches Heathrow–Delhi
Indian carrier IndiGo will start Heathrow–Delhi flights from 2 February, operating 5× weekly overnight using a Norse Atlantic Boeing 787. There’s no business class, but Norse’s roomy Premium cabin is being sold as “IndiGoStretch” (extra legroom + priority perks). More about Norse Premium cabin here
Beijing Capital Airlines
🇨🇳 Qingdao → London Gatwick, launches 24 June 2026
Wizz Air – New Routes Loaded
Wizz Air loads new Luton routes for Summer 2026
Alicante, Faro, Lyon, Turin, Corfu + more from June.
Alicante, Faro, Lyon, Turin, Corfu + more from June.
Saudia – UK Network Changes
🇸🇦 Neom Bay → London Gatwick- off sale from 11 January 2026
🇸🇦 Jeddah → London Gatwick - off sale Summer 2026
🇸🇦 Jeddah → Birmingham- increased to 4× weekly for Summer 2026
Avios News: Finnair Is Flying to Melbourne
Finding Avios reward seats to Australia has always been tough, so Finnair launching flights to Melbourne from October 2026 is genuinely good news for oneworld travellers.
The new daily route runs Helsinki–Bangkok–Melbourne using Finnair’s A350, featuring its refurbished cabins and distinctive AirLounge business class seat.
If you’re planning long-haul Avios redemptions, I break down smarter strategies in Maximise Your Avios Points in 2025 on MrPlaneGuy.com.
Finnair’s Melbourne launch is the most interesting Avios development for Australia in years especially if Qatar availability stays tight.
Important: This isn’t financial advice. Credit cards are subject to status, terms and conditions, and affordability checks. Please consider your own financial situation before applying.
American Express has quietly dropped one of the biggest referral bonuses I’ve ever seen on the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card:
If you use my referral link:
You’ll earn: 45000 Membership Rewards Points (usually 22000!) when they get approved and spend £5000 in 6 months.
That’s enough for:
A return to Europe, A one-way long-haul in Premium, Or a big chunk towards a Business Class Avios upgrade.
Offer ends 13 January 2026. Very limited and genuinely one of the best Amex Gold boosts in years.
How Reliable Is Norse Atlantic Airways?
Low fares. Long-haul routes. A tiny fleet. What could possibly go wrong?
I’ve published a Plane Honest deep dive into Norse Atlantic Airways’ reliability,
Norse offers bargain long-haul flights to places like:
New York
Orlando
Bangkok
Phuket
Cape Town
…but with just six active Dreamliners covering a huge network, reliability is where things get interesting.
Plane Tip: During long delays, lounge access can be a lifesaver for food, Wi-Fi and sanity especially when customer service is stretched.
📱 Stay Connected Abroad (Without a £1,500 Bill)
New guide live: The Best eSIMs & Travel SIMs for International Travel (UK Travellers’ Guide)
If you’re still landing abroad and:
hunting for airport Wi-Fi
paying £2–£7 a day in roaming fees
or buying sketchy SIMs from kiosks
…you’re doing travel the hard way.
I learned that the painful way with a £1500 roaming bill in China 😬
Pre-Flight, Lounge & Airport Experience
🚗 Gatwick Drop-Off Charge Jumps to £10
New update you’ll want to know if you’re flying from Gatwick in 2026.
From 6 January 2026, Gatwick Airport is increasing its terminal drop-off charge to £10 for just 10 minutes a £3 jump overnight and double what it was when introduced.
That makes Gatwick one of the most expensive airport drop-offs in the UK.
🅿️ Manchester Airport’s New Hub Changes Where You Should Park
Big shift at Manchester Airport and it’s already hitting parking prices.
Terminal 2 is now officially Manchester Airport’s main hub following the £1.3bn redevelopment, while Terminal 1 is closing and traffic is being redistributed across the airport.
Plane Tip: If you’re away for over a week, Park & Ride usually wins. Early flights, families or heavy luggage? Meet & Greet saves your sanity.
Frequent Flyer Briefing, Loyalty Offers & Points
Want to Land 2000 Virgin Points in 2 minutes?
Sign up with my affiliate link and get a 2000 Virgin Points welcome bonus! (Very limited time offer be quick!)
Avios Tip of the Week:
30 Avios per £1 at SHEIN (+ 50% Christmas Bonus)
This one is huge for new customers.
Right now, SHEIN is offering 30 Avios per £1 spent for first-time shoppers — and on top of that, Avios has launched a 50% festive bonus across 1,000+ brands.
What that means in real terms:
Spend £100 at SHEIN = 3,000 Avios
With the 50% Christmas bonus = 4,500 Avios
Bonus Avios post separately (T&Cs apply)
Perfect if you’re buying last-minute bits anyway, those Avios can go towards reward flights, upgrades, hotels or car hire.
👉 Activate via the Avios shopping portal before you buy to make sure it tracks.
Plane Tip: Only buy what you actually need, Avios are a bonus, not an excuse to overspend.
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.
Once you’ve got the Avios, find seats before they vanish with Reward Flight Finder or grab Jack’s Flight Club for £1 and bag ridiculous flight deals when cash beats points.
Takeoff, Travel Deals & Flight Opportunities
This Week's PLANE FLIGHT DEAL OF THE WEEK
Barbados £267!!!!!
of course subject to availability
Bridgetown (BGI) - £267
From
London Gatwick (LGW)
TRAVEL DATES
January (example trips below)
AIRLINE
TUI
STANDARD FARE
£600 - £650 (non-stop)
BAGS & FEES
Full-size cabin bag included. Checked bag upgrade is £72 rtn.
BOOK BY
A day or two.
Flight Notes
Example dates:
Sun 11th Jan–Sun 25th Jan
Thu 15th Jan–Thu 29th Jan
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!
Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes travel updates and real-time airline news from my journeys.
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.
✈️ Plane Extras Express
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Get 30% off Priority Pass membership and relax in 1800+ lounges worldwide.
🌍 Travel Insurance Cover every trip for less with Coverwise (by AXA) annual European cover from £10.20.
Featured Elsewhere This Week
I was really honoured to be featured by Get Blogged as part of their 12 Bloggers of Christmas series, chatting about life behind Mr Plane Guy, from my airline career to why “Plane Honest” transparency still matters more than ever in travel content.
Happy Plane New Year 🎄✈️
Thank you for reading Plane News this year, for the messages, the DMs, the lounge chats, and the shared love of flying smarter (and occasionally drinking prosecco at 7am). Wishing you a peaceful Christmas, safe travels, and kinder skies wherever you’re heading.
Mr Plane Guy
Plane News This Week, 28 December 2025.
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