News You May Have Missed This Week - 25th May
- Sam
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Starting out as a post on our Instagram account (follow us here if you're not already), we realise that not everyone is following us on our socials, so our weekly round up of smaller stories will also become a blog post!
Aer Lingus to Start Flying to Cancun
Aer Lingus announced this week that they intend to start flying 3x weekly from Dublin to Cancun. This new direct service, operating from 6 January to 29 April 2026, will be operated by their Airbus A330-300 aircraft, featuring 30 lie flat seats in Business Class.
Aer Lingus is owned by the same parent company that owns British Airways, meaning that they use Avios as their rewards currency. Flying to Cancun using Avios will start from 16,250 one way in Economy, and 62,500 one way in Business Class.
Why does this matter so much to British travellers? Well, Aer Lingus operate an extensive hub and spoke model in Dublin, connecting Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Heathrow, Manchester, and Southampton, all with Dublin, allowing a seamless connection onwards to Cancun. If you do intend to fly from the UK via Dublin to Cancun, flights from the UK to Dublin start from 4,000 Avios one way.
Cathay Pacific Update Their Bamford Amenity Kits
The Hong Kong based carrier Cathay Pacific has introduced a new amenity kit to debut alongside their new Aria Business Class suite.
Provided by British brand Bamford, the new Business amenity kits have been designed with a strong focus on sustainability. Offered in a contemporary bag, available in four colours, the kits are thoughtfully curated with Bamford’s skincare products including a cooling gel, multi-purpose balm and the brand’s award-winning pillow mist. Each item is packaged in eco-friendly materials for easy recycling.
“The aim was to design something that customers would want to take away with them,” says Bernard Mills, Cathay Pacific’s Head of Dining and Hospitality. “So we were really thinking about a bag that was practical and functional, but also stylish. We opted for larger bottles which customers can continue to use after their flight.”
Expect to see these kits rolled out immediately onboard.
Spanish Court Rules Hand Baggage Fees Illegal
A Spanish court in Salamanca has ruled that a man's hand baggage charge by Ryanair was illegal. The five charges for hand luggage between 2019 and 2024 were illegal on the basis that hand baggage is an essential part of air travel, and therefore cannot be charged for. The court ruled that Ryanair must refund the man €147 in baggage fees.
The ramifications of this decision has led to speculation that this is the end of hand baggage fees for not just Spain, but the whole of Europe. Low cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Wizz Air, make a lot of their revenue not just on the ticket price, but from the extras that you and I all pay for. Expect Ryanair to appeal this ruling, as to protect their underlying business model.
And Finally: Seats from 4,800 Virgin Points - Virgin Atlantic Redemption Flight Sale
We ran this article earlier in the week, but just wanted to grab your attention back to it, as you only have two more days left in this sale.
Virgin Atlantic announced a sale on select routes to the US with 20% off Economy Saver fares, resulting in one way Economy fares starting from just 4,800 Virgin Points. Book before the May 27th to guarantee these savings on your hard earned Virgin Points. Read our full article here for more details.
Sam