Only do the Middle East airlines from Manchester and my preference would be 1. Qatar 2. Emirates 3. Etihad but the winner would be best price and duration out of those 3.
Think from January, restrictions will be fully lifted but will be a long while before it’s back to absolute normal with same amount of visitors etc. Enjoy your stay 👍.
I don’t ‘need’ to get an Ed but here’s the logic. If I went straight in on an O visa then extension, I’d need to put 800k in the bank for the extension, which is essentially dead money. This way I kill 2 birds with one stone. Firstly, I want to learn the language and the Ed visa forces me to attend classes, even if I’m hungover. Secondly, I get to use the 65k method straight away for the extension application as my preferred method for proof of funds.