Economy Class & Beyond

West Midlands Metro to increase penalty fares to £100, whilst switching to “Buy before you travel” model

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West Midlands Metro - the light-rail operator which operates tram services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, is overhauling its ticketing arrangements, as well as upping fines to £100 for non-payment of fares. Currently, passengers should buy their tickets before they board; however, conductors have happily sold tickets on the tram. That's going to change, it … [Read more...]

Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (29th November)

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We're past a few more holidays as we now all barrel towards the Christmas and New Year Travel Period. And no, you can't escape it any more. However, we've got a few headlines to go through. Yes, it's time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond.  Night-time commuters - Solihull Station New Aircraft, Old Friends Three more from my recent trip report this week. It … [Read more...]

Greater Bay Airlines takes delivery of its first Boeing 737-9

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Greater Bay Airlines of Hong Kong is the latest operator to take its first delivery of a Boeing 737-9. The first Boeing 737-9 aircraft of Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) was delivered and arrived in Hong Kong from Boeing’s delivery centre in Seattle last Saturday (22 November), with the aircraft entering service shortly thereafter. Greater Bay Airlines is the first airline … [Read more...]

Air Arabia to add Sharjah to London Gatwick

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Air Arabia is about to forge an interesting link for those who want to visit the United Arab Emirates, with a planned route between Sharjah and London Gatwick. The airline will launch a twice-daily service between Sharjah and London Gatwick from 29th March 2026. The route will be operated by the airline's Airbus A321LR aircraft. Planned operations are: G9258 DEPART … [Read more...]

Emirates to deploy an Airbus A350 to Montréal, Canada

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After a fresh order of Airbus A350-900s at the Dubai Air Show, Emirates is continuing its fleet deployment, with the next destination to feature the type being Montréal. Montréal will be the first destination in Emirates Americas' network to receive its latest aircraft type. The aircraft will commence operations on the 1st February 2026, taking over the existing Boeing … [Read more...]

Iberia to add Madrid to Newark, NJ route from March 2026

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For those who need to travel between Madrid and Newark, NJ (for New York), there's good news, with Iberia planning to spin up a new route for the Summer 2026 timetable. The new service will operate daily from 29th March 2026, operating between Madrid and Newark Liberty International Airport with a daily service. This new flight will complement the existing two daily … [Read more...]

Why have one special livery, when you can have a fleet of them – Lufthansa gets the paint buckets out for its 100th anniversary

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In 2026, Lufthansa will celebrate a significant milestone - 100 years since the founding of the first Lufthansa in 1926. How is the modern-day Lufthansa going to celebrate? With paint. A lot of it, as they give some of their fleet a new look. To mark this special occasion, the crane airline is taking off with a unique “anniversary fleet” that combines tradition and … [Read more...]