Airline Updates: Ryanair Prime Ends, Virgin Expands India, Heathrow T5 Upgrades

Ryanair has terminated its “Prime” annual membership scheme after an eight-month trial, citing unfavorable returns. Launched in March at £79 annually, Prime offered benefits like free seat selection on 12 flights, exclusive discounted fares, and limited travel insurance. While 55,000 members signed up, generating €4.4 million, Ryanair transparently reported that members received over €6 million in fare discounts, resulting in a €1.6 million net loss. The airline concluded that this subscription revenue level did not justify the effort for monthly exclusive seat sales, reaffirming its focus on low fares for its 207 million general passengers rather than this specific subset. Existing members will retain their benefits for the remainder of their 12-month term.

Virgin Atlantic is significantly expanding services to India, particularly Bengaluru (Bangalore), driven by strong customer demand. From January to March 2026, flights from Heathrow to Bengaluru will increase from seven to eleven per week, nearing double-daily service. India represents Virgin Atlantic's largest growth area outside the United States, complementing existing double-daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai. Since 2019, Virgin has boosted its Indian capacity by 250%, now offering over 500,000 seats annually, utilizing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. This expansion also aims to enhance connectivity to North America through partners Delta Air Lines and Westjet, leveraging Bengaluru's role as a technology and business hub.

Heathrow Terminal 5's people mover system has undergone a significant upgrade, expanding its operational capacity and shortening passenger wait times. The track transit system, connecting T5's various parts, has increased from two to four trains, effectively doubling frequency along its 700-meter route. Each train, supplied by Alstom, consists of four cars. The service pattern will shift from a linear shuttle to a ‘pinched loop' due to the increased train count on two tracks. Notably, the trains were lowered into tunnels via a hatch using a 160-tonne crane. Terminal 5 remains Heathrow's only terminal with such a system, though Terminal 2 has pre-built tunnels for potential future implementation.

(Source: https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/11/29/ryanair-closes-its-prime-membership-scheme/)