Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus is taking plane food up a notch with a whole new seasonal range throughout the festive period, including ‘classic’ Christmas dinners.
Yes, that’s right: you can get the mother of all Sunday roasts in the sky.
The Irish flight operators and flag carriers are no strangers to pulling out the stops when it comes to convincing people to choose one of their planes the next time they travel, having recently held a huge Black Friday sale on trips to key holiday destinations.
With that in mind, their latest perk certainly got our attention; when have you ever heard of someone eating a Christmas dinner during a flight? Be honest: you haven’t – that’s why it’s such a great idea.
I see roasties and a sweet. Sounds like they understand the Christmas dinners to me (Credit: Aer Lingus).
What’s better than the feeling of knowing you’re on your way to a relaxing getaway? Adding arguably everyone’s favourite meal of the year on top of it for the journey, and that’s exactly what Aer Lingus has done with the new festive menu.
ADVERTISEMENT
Starting from Sunday, 8 December, passengers on board long-haul Aer Lingus flights departing from Ireland and down the road at Manchester Airport will be serving up what they’ve dubbed a classic Christmas dinner with all these usual suspects on the plate. Meat, gravy, stuffing, veg – you get the gist.
Those flying across the Atlantic during the holidays to destinations like New York, Orlando and Barbados – three of the airline’s most popular destinations – will actually be able to enjoy food and drink from a choice of more than 50 festive favourites.
ADVERTISEMENT
Be it the familiar roast open or the likes of seasonal turkey sandwiches, Irish cream liqueur desserts, cheese boards and special ‘Merry Berry’ champagne cocktails available in business class, with the latter coming as a winter warmer welcome drink (don’t mind if we do), there’s plenty to choose from.
Even if you’re flying economy, there’s still a scrumptious orange chocolate mousse for afters or a special Santa-inspired chocolate treat for the little ones. Provided they’ve eaten all their veggies, of course…
You don’t have to stick with a roast either (Credit: Aer Lingus).
To top it all off, the airline will also be screening plenty of classics to watch whilst you’re enjoying your food, from Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express and Love Actually, to as well as Christmas TV specials like Friends, Father Ted, The Big Bang Theory, The US Office and more.
ADVERTISEMENT
If none of those takes your fancy, there are also plenty of documentaries, kids’ entertainment, podcasts and games as per usual, or you should tilt your head back and enjoy some seasonal music.
Aer Lingus‘ Chief Customer Officer, Susanne Carberry, said: “At Aer Lingus, we take great pride in the role we play in bringing family and friends together to celebrate the special moments, particularly at this time of year. With the holiday season getting underway, we’re doing all we can to ensure that we make every journey count for our customers.
Christmas meals will be available onboard from 8-24 December, so if you’re looking to fly transatlantic during the festive period, you may want to take an airborne Sunday dinner into account.
Manchester Marathon 2026 guide – waves, start times, route map and much more
Danny Jones
It’s nearly that time again: the adidas Manchester Marathon has come back around for 2026, so it’s about time we gave you a helpful guide on everything you need to know.
Doesn’t matter whether you’re running it or are simply set to be one of the countless people expected to line the streets in support of the annual event; there are plenty of important details that can help make it as stress-free as possible.
Well, there are obviously going to be plenty of nerves out on the tarmac, but we already know you’re going to smash it.
So, without further ado, let’s get stuck in…
The great big Manchester Marathon guide – all the key info
We can start off by letting you know that, no, there aren’t any places left to join this year’s Manchester Marathon, but as always, it’s worth keeping an eye out on social media for any last-minute bibs going.
There’s always a fair few drop-outs in the last few weeks leading up to a big race, and while we hope it’s not happened to you or anyone you know, do let people know down in the comments if you know of any spares so we can field out the field as much as possible.
Waves and start times for the 2026 MCR Marathon
Where else to begin than with the start times themselves? If you’re joining the pack this year, you should have long received your race pack by now – if not, you can collect yours/try to sort a back-up bib at the adidas store on Market Street – and therefore should already know when you’re getting going.
However, even if you’re just watching, it can be helpful to know the exact minute that your friends and loved ones’ waves are starting. Here’s a full breakdown:
(Credit: adidas Manchester Marathon)
If you’re wondering how best to track those taking part, as well as sharing names and numbers on race bibs for predictive tracking, we would always recommend turning on the ‘Find My’ app on Apple devices and/or your phone’s equivalent.
We would also suggest sharing your location on WhatsApp, which can be set for several hours and beyond, which is usually pretty accurate.
Manchester Marathon route and event map
As for this year’s marathon route, 2026 marks just the second year that the sell-out Manc run will see its final stretch along the Oxford Road Corridor, with the finish line hosted just outside The University of Manchester’s historic Whitworth Hall.
Complete with a series of adidas-branded hoardings tilted at an angle for those cheering from the sidelines to slam and spur finishers along those last few yards.
Once again, the course will take participants from beneath the Trafford City Arch near White City retail park, down Bridgewater Way, then Chester Road, before heading towards Castlefield and Deansgate, on to Stretford, Sale, Timperley, Altrincham, and then out of Trafford in the direction of Baguley.
Eventually, you’ll make your way back to central Manchester, passing through Chorlton, Whalley Range, Hulme and eventually to the home straight on Oxford Rd for a grandstand finish.
You can see a detailed version of the Manchester Marathon right HERE and/or watch a full virtual tour of the 2026 route down below.
The start area is outside Man United’s Old Trafford stadium, which can be easily accessed by tram or car
Toilets, water and fuelling stations
Now, next up on the list of crucial locations is, obviously, the issue of toilets, as well as water and refuelling stations.
You’ll be glad to know that there will be places to go for your pre-race pees and poos, both in the first pan and in a secondary section just after you begin the starting process and head towards the retail park and Trafford Arch.
From there, runners will be able to use the toilet (fingers crossed you won’t need one) whenever they come across a water station, and in addition to the eight or nine points along the course, you can refuel energy and nutrition-wise with High5 Orange Aqua Gels.
Here’s a quick rundown of where you’ll find them:
Manc Marathon road closures
Next up, it goes without saying that such a big event is not just city centre-wide, but one spread across multiple Greater Manchester boroughs, doesn’t go ahead every single year (not to mention bigger and better each time) without some major logistical planning.
The adidas Manchester Marathon returns to the streets of Greater Manchester this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has now been announced. 🏃♂️🏅
Bag drop and collection points for the Manchester Marathon
The bag drop is situated near the front of Manchester United’s famous home ground, where you’ll also find the official starting area within the E2 car park.
If you plan to use this service (small sports bag or rucksack only), the organisers recommend arriving at least 45 minutes before you are due to access the start line.
Bags will then be collected and loaded into lorries corresponding to your wave colour, which will then transport them to the finish line, where they can be collected with proof. If you’re still unsure about anything, here’s a full explanation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fan zones, cheers squads and popular spectator spots
As for this year’s dedicated Manchester Marathon fan zones and cheer points, you’ll find popular spectator hotspots, including the Deansgate-Castlefield Interchange, the Chester Road roundabout and strip leading up past Stretford Mall and a main section of Chorlton’s high street, just to name a few.
Thankfully, you can find lots more tips on where to cheer on your friends and family via the online Supporter Hub, including help when it comes to tracking them.
In addition to the multiple signposted junctures and atmosphere hubs, with more live music and festivities from artists, charities and local organisations than ever, last year’s Manchester Marathon official Event Village at Circle Square has also seen a big upgrade. Find out more below.
As always, Transport for Greater Manchester is advising everyone making their way to the event this year to use public services wherever possible.
In terms of using the Metrolink trams, Old Trafford tram station is just 10 minutes from the start line, while Trafford Bar, Wharfside, Imperial War Museum and Exchange Quay are your next best options and still only a reasonable walk away.
ADVERTISEMENT
One could even say they’re the perfect distance away to go through your full warm-up routine and pre-race checks; you can also check out a full interactive map of the relevant tram lines:
As for this year’s dedicated Manchester Marathon fan zones and cheer points, you’ll find popular spectator hotspots, including the Deansgate Interchange, the Chester Road strip leading up past Stretford Mall and a main section of Chorlton’s high street, just to name a few.
Thankfully, you can find lots more tips on where to cheer on your friends and family via the online Supporter Hub , including help when it comes to tracking them.
In addition to the multiple signposted junctures and atmosphere hubs seen in the virtual route tour above, with more live music and festivities from artists, charities and local organisations than ever, the 2025 equivalent of previous years’ event village comes in the form of an all-new fan zone on Oxford Rd.
Finally, if you were looking to use the bus this weekend, you can see the full list of bus diversions HERE.
Last but not least, there’s nothing else left for us to say other than good luck to everyone taking part, and whatever reason you’re running the 2026 Manchester Marathon, go and SMASH it!
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester Marathon)
Travel & Tourism
First look at the lavish two-storey penthouse hotel suite opening at the Etihad campus
Daisy Jackson
The Medlock – the new hotel opening on the Etihad Campus later this year – has shared brand-new images of its luxury penthouse suite.
The lavish new two-storey suite will come with its own private terrace, views across the city, and its own entrance.
That’s on top of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area and dining space.
The hotel itself, which takes its name from the river that runs beneath the area, is set to open later this year, and is under construction immediately beside the Etihad Stadium.
When it’s complete, it will boast 401 upscale bedrooms, including the newly-revealed penthouse suite, with panoramic views across to the city centre.
Guests in The Medlock’s two-storey suite will have floor-to-ceiling windows, luxury finishes across the 150sq ft interior, and five-star service.
Privacy will be a key feature – the penthouse comes with its own dedicated entrance separate from the main hotel, plus a personal concierge service. You’ll even be able to ride an express list direct to the private dining room of the hotel’s brasserie.
Still not fancy enough? The penthouse offers provisions for a private chef and an additional suite suitable for a nanny or personal staff, perfectly suited to VIP guests.
The private terrace at The Medlock penthouse suiteLuxury bathroom finishes at the hotelThe dining space within the hotel suiteOne of the two bedrooms in The Medlock penthouse suite
Bosses hope the hotel will be a perfect base for the year-round events taking place at the Etihad Campus, whether it’s matches at the Etihad Stadium, gigs at the Co-op Live, or the new hub for culture, leisure, and entertainment, Medlock Square.
Richard Pearson, general manager of The Medlock, a Radisson Blu Hotel, commented: “The Medlock’s penthouse suite is a space that we are particularly proud of, truly offering our guests the best in class when it comes to a luxury stay in the city.
“We’re perfectly positioned to serve both the Etihad Campus and Co-op Live, but also the wider city which you can enjoy undisrupted views of from the private terrace.
“For those looking for a discreet and high-end stay in Manchester, guests will be blown away by the space when we officially open later this year.”
The Medlock, a Radisson Blu Hotel, is set to open this autumn, with bookings now live HERE.
Danny Jones -
5th December 2024 
