Monarch Airlines on its way out?

[ThunderSpook]

Seems like a strange thing to do, because isn’t the whole idea to get people back to the UK? Why do the planes need to be in the UK to start with?

[anonymous-user]

ThunderSpook said:

Seems like a strange thing to do, because isn’t the whole idea to get people back to the UK? Why do the planes need to be in the UK to start with?

The airlines AOC (air operators certificate) runs out, the aircraft aren’t insured, nobody will supply fuel, do the baggage handling and cover the multitude of other services an aircraft requires.

The CAA then charter other airlines ‘at the going rate’ to cover the rest of the monarch program to get passengers home, the employees get nothing.

[ThunderSpook]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

El stovey said:

ThunderSpook said:

Seems like a strange thing to do, because isn’t the whole idea to get people back to the UK? Why do the planes need to be in the UK to start with?

The airlines AOC (air operators certificate) runs out, the aircraft aren’t insured, nobody will supply fuel, do the baggage handling and cover the multitude of other services an aircraft requires.

The CAA then charter other airlines ‘at the going rate’ to cover the rest of the monarch program to get passengers home, the employees get nothing.

I think he means why are the Qatar airlines flights coming to the UK first, when actually they need to bring people home from other destinations. Why not fly there first?

My educated guess would be either positioning, crew or insurance requirements, but someone better informed might know more.

Yes, that’s what I meant. Any ideas?

[Oceanic]

Hopefully a more competent and customer focussed airline fills the gap!

[Spanna]

ecsrobin said:

Spanna said:

A friend just sent me this from Cyprus and he's due to flight back home with the kids tomorrow. I've never been in that situation, what's the protocol?

All listed on the monarch website.

https://monarch.caa.co.uk

There’s a section on “I’m currently abroad”

https://monarch.caa.co.uk/customers/i-am-currently...

It will list the flights that have been re-arranged. They will only get the flight home any delays or additional costs outside of that will have to be covered by your friend unless he booked via an ATOL protected agent or prior to monarch losing their ATOL protection.

Thanks for the info, will pass it on and tell him to remain calm. He's flying out of Paphos so it looks like he's stuck for an extra couple of days.

[Robertj21a]

Oceanic said:

Hopefully a more competent and customer focussed airline fills the gap!

Not sure there will be much of a 'gap'. There's significant over-supply on many routes already. It will benefit, slightly, the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair to fill a few more seats.

[Robertj21a]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

And there are zero customer-focused LoCos. Monarch were perhaps the only one, or certainly the most customer friendly.

.... .and see what happens to customer focused operators !
Perhaps, after all, Ryanair got it right.

[ianwayne]

Oceanic said:

Hopefully a more competent and customer focussed airline fills the gap!

I suppose everyone's experience is different. I flew with them to Spain and Portugal and back at least 50 times between 2004 and last year, from Brum, Luton and Manchester. Can't remember a bad experience apart from the odd delay that all airlines have.

When they stopped giving out papers and a free meal, and started charging for baggage (after Easyjet, Ryanair etc already did so) in about 2005, thereby switching their business model to 'budget' they were on the slide.

[Oceanic]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

And there are zero customer-focused LoCos. Monarch were perhaps the only one, or certainly the most customer friendly.

I think Monarch were the worse of a bad bunch. Compare them to say Norwegian!

[Robertj21a]

Poor legroom often gets mentioned too. Ironic that Ryanair has much better legroom, I gather.

[Craikeybaby]

FlipFlopGriff said:

booked mine early Dec 16 and have the ATOL cert so I'm lucky. Still a pain though as Xmas flights aren't the cheapest and booking late (this is late for Xmas/New Year flights) limits options/makes it more expensive with Ryanair being the main alternative unfortunately. Fry pan meet fire!
FFG

I booked a few days after the cut off. Already rebooked with Thomas Cook/Blue Air, it just means an extremely early start for the flight home.

I really feel for the employees though, having holiday plans messed up isn’t a big problem compared to what they’re waking up to.

[Calza]

So I see my flight next month isn't ATOL protected either. Very glad I booked on credit card.

For what it's worth, I never had any issue with leg room and always found it okay (6'1).

[FlipFlopGriff]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

Monarch are/were lagging behind in the cabin (legroom etc) but were 'old-school good' everywhere else.

I flew RA on the weekend on one of the newer 737s (with the slim line seats) and the leg room was very good, as far as LoCos go.

Many if not most/all of the Monarch 321's had been refitted with the slimmer profile seats giving more legroom. I've just re-booked my Xmas flights and my flight was £20 less than we'd booked with Monarch for us both. Unfortunately for my parents (mom works at a school) they have paid as much each as they had for the previous flight with Monarch so just shy of £1k for the both of them - flight only.
FFG

[Casa1862]

Legroom on the newer slim type seats was good, better than the competition, agreed some of the older armchair like seats was poor but they were being changed.

I think they where a good airline, I'll miss them,

[sc0tt]

I flew to Spain with them last year.

The seat was crap but it was a cheap flight and they got me from UK to Spain as advertised.

Can't really knock them for that.

[Calza]

Spoke to Barclaycard to claim it back and they seem to be on the fence about me getting anything back. I thought this was the point of CC's, to get protection?

[MikeOxhard]

Calza said:

Spoke to Barclaycard to claim it back and they seem to be on the fence about me getting anything back. I thought this was the point of CC's, to get protection?

I talked to M&S (MasterCard) this morning and they are setting up a team to sort refunds - all affected should receive a letter in about 14 days.

[L99JKB]

This is a shame, I have been flying with monarch since I was a child on family holidays but have noticed they have been on the slide for a while now and refused to book with them since the rumours of financial trouble last year. Maybe people like myself doing this have caused their collapse but I really didn’t want to end up in the same boat as some who have bookings with Monarch now if they went under.

It will be strange going to an airport and not seeing any Monarch livery.

[steve2]

Spanna said:

Thanks for the info, will pass it on and tell him to remain calm. He's flying out of Paphos so it looks like he's stuck for an extra couple of days.

We are in Paphos and are supposed to be flying back on Wednesday so will be interesting as to how your friend gets on tomorrow,
We are keeping an eye on the website which will hopefully keep us updated

[SantaBarbara]

Will the Monarch staff go to work for RyanAir now?