Monarch - 3
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: UK
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Fair point, but this isn't the 70's and 80's
Tour operators aren't immune today either.
Fortunately not everyone sit there gawping at Facebook all day long - it's when consumer "jounalists" get their teeth into the airline the real danger arises - and I'm sure some of them lurk on these forums.

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: southern spain
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Flown Monarch again from and to Gibraltar to Luton over the last two weeks to attend yet another funeral in the UK (third this year). Tuesday outbound from Gib about 160 on board and back the following Wednesday only 106 with only 27 seats taken up front. The Luton-Gib figures are shocking for the end of August - only paid about 45 pounds inc tax for the flight and that was booked less than two weeks before departure. The Birmingham flight on the Tuesday f/to Gib was about 125/155 still not very good for the time of year. I was talking to a member of the crew and the problem according to the company was YIELD.
On a positive note both sectors arrived early and crew friendly and helpful as always to me seems the case.
Do hope everything turns out positively - an awful lot of people's livelihood at stake.
PS Giles not everybody looks or has Facebook - one hear for starters!
On a positive note both sectors arrived early and crew friendly and helpful as always to me seems the case.
Do hope everything turns out positively - an awful lot of people's livelihood at stake.
PS Giles not everybody looks or has Facebook - one hear for starters!

Join Date: Oct 2004
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I was talking to a member of the crew and the problem according to the company was YIELD.
BHX, fortunately, or unfortunately dependent upon where you sit punches way below it's weight on the med. destinations, so yield ought not be an issue to the same extent - unless of course someone sitting in the sales department at Monarch failed to understand that bums on seats isn't always the best way of turning red numbers on the balance sheet into black ones.

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LV
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I would have thought those GIB figures (from a load rather than yield point of view) would be ok for what is a relatively niche route with bigger competing routes along the coast. Getting high 90's LF on those routes I wouldnt have thought were ever on anyones radar

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: big gay blackpool
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We'll I should imagine there will be a few more unhappy monarch pax , this afternoons TFS , has been cancelled from manchester , it was meant to be on an a330, but see Palma is running behind too.

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: GCLP
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ZB/MON
So far that's 12 routes next summer not bookable, will there be new routes, increased frequencies on existing or are they looking to consolidate and return aircraft to lessors?
Considering they are cutting 1000+ Jobs, axing all Long-Haul & Charters, pulling out of EMA, rumoured to be pulling out of LBA, downsizing by 12 Aircraft and many S15 routes reported to be pulled from the website - i highly doubt they will be announcing any New Routes or increased frequencies on existing!
Considering they are cutting 1000+ Jobs, axing all Long-Haul & Charters, pulling out of EMA, rumoured to be pulling out of LBA, downsizing by 12 Aircraft and many S15 routes reported to be pulled from the website - i highly doubt they will be announcing any New Routes or increased frequencies on existing!

Join Date: Oct 2004
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Considering they are cutting 1000+ Jobs, axing all Long-Haul & Charters, pulling out of EMA, rumoured to be pulling out of LBA, downsizing by 12 Aircraft and many S15 routes reported to be pulled from the website - i highly doubt they will be announcing any New Routes or increased frequencies on existing!
It is reported that up to 1000 jobs may be at risk, and that the fleet could be reduced to 30 units. Exiting LBA is just that - rumour.
I agree however that additional capacity on existing routes seems unlikely, given the capacity that has already been cut - though with the quoted intention to become a totally scheduled airline, they could perhaps find non bucket and spade destinations where they could make some good money. Time, and the pending review will tell.

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: southern spain
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Cabin Crew - if you look at the load factors on the easyJet Gib flights from/to Gatwick I think you might change your mind. I would also disagree with you that it is a niche route but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
The BA flights are also well patronised especially with ships crews mainly from outside the EU positioning or going on leave via Heathrow as they do not need a visa which they would need to get into Spain and fly from Malaga etc.
The BA flights are also well patronised especially with ships crews mainly from outside the EU positioning or going on leave via Heathrow as they do not need a visa which they would need to get into Spain and fly from Malaga etc.

Join Date: Aug 2007
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Yes I flew Gib/Man last week and the flight was full as well..The problem was the
crew..It was like amateurs night..Flight arrived into Gib late..Ground staff started to get pax ready to board, then had to hold everyone because the flight deck were in the duty free shop!!..Then the disabled arrived on the scissor lorry right in the middle of boarding..People were openly laughing at their antics..Not a good advert when you are in trouble I`m afraid..
I would rate it as a one off though but if Gib was marketed better it could be a city route that made them money..time will tell
crew..It was like amateurs night..Flight arrived into Gib late..Ground staff started to get pax ready to board, then had to hold everyone because the flight deck were in the duty free shop!!..Then the disabled arrived on the scissor lorry right in the middle of boarding..People were openly laughing at their antics..Not a good advert when you are in trouble I`m afraid..
I would rate it as a one off though but if Gib was marketed better it could be a city route that made them money..time will tell

4 days after my flights were removed from sale Monarch have still not contacted me. However, on checking my itinerary on line I have been bumped to Manchester at inconvenient times that will involve extra expense and a hotel to meet the flight time. I have contacted Customer Services asking for an explanation and asking them to pick up the extra tab (I know 2 hopes......) But at least we know as a fact that LBA-GNB finishes on 21 Feb 15.

Join Date: Feb 2009
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I have tried to take a brief look at Monarch and it's plans for Summer 2015 (speculated reduction in air frames, dropped routes, etc) based on the latest possible dropped routes discussed in the thread.
What we know so far, the 2 x A330's will be gone by next Summer, and we are also 2 aircraft light from the closure of the East Midlands base. If the rumoured closure of the Leeds Bradford base goes ahead (2 x A320 aircraft) then we are only 6 aircraft short of the rumoured reduction of 12 aircraft.
Looking at the possible dropped routes detailed earlier in the thread (I have discounted Ibiza from this list as it is a route that is expected to be released at a later date) I have looked at the potential reduction in flights based on frequencies operated in August of this year.
Birmingham.
Dropped routes to Almeria (3 x weekly) Hurghada (1 x weekly) and Split (3 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 5 x IT services (to Corfu, Preveza, Rhodes, Skiathos and Zante) which may or may not return as scheduled services next year ??
Luton.
Dropped routes to Antalya, Bodrum and Corfu (all 3 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 1 x IT service to Zante.
Gatwick.
Dropped routes to Bodrum (3 x weekly) Heraklion (3 x weekly) and Hurghada (2 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated around 25 x weekly IT services
Manchester.
Dropped routes to Antalya (4 x weekly) Bodrum (2 x weekly) Larnaca (6 x weekly) Las Palmas (3 x weekly) and Paphos (2 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 15 x weekly IT services.
Therefore, potential lost services are 12 x weekly (Birmingham) 10 x weekly (Luton) 33 x weekly (Gatwick) and 32 x weekly (Manchester) which seems to indicate, as most people have probably suspected, 2 airframe losses at both Gatwick and Manchester, and 1 airframe loss at Birmingham and Luton.
I know that some existing services will operate with increased frequencies next year, but I expect that some other existing services will operate at reduced frequencies based on August of this year.
Still early days I know, but expect quite a reduction in the number of daily rotations next Summer (I think they have been hitting close to 200 a day on some peak days in August with the overnight additional services to Spain (Palma, Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife South) in place.
What we know so far, the 2 x A330's will be gone by next Summer, and we are also 2 aircraft light from the closure of the East Midlands base. If the rumoured closure of the Leeds Bradford base goes ahead (2 x A320 aircraft) then we are only 6 aircraft short of the rumoured reduction of 12 aircraft.
Looking at the possible dropped routes detailed earlier in the thread (I have discounted Ibiza from this list as it is a route that is expected to be released at a later date) I have looked at the potential reduction in flights based on frequencies operated in August of this year.
Birmingham.
Dropped routes to Almeria (3 x weekly) Hurghada (1 x weekly) and Split (3 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 5 x IT services (to Corfu, Preveza, Rhodes, Skiathos and Zante) which may or may not return as scheduled services next year ??
Luton.
Dropped routes to Antalya, Bodrum and Corfu (all 3 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 1 x IT service to Zante.
Gatwick.
Dropped routes to Bodrum (3 x weekly) Heraklion (3 x weekly) and Hurghada (2 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated around 25 x weekly IT services
Manchester.
Dropped routes to Antalya (4 x weekly) Bodrum (2 x weekly) Larnaca (6 x weekly) Las Palmas (3 x weekly) and Paphos (2 x weekly) on scheduled, they also operated 15 x weekly IT services.
Therefore, potential lost services are 12 x weekly (Birmingham) 10 x weekly (Luton) 33 x weekly (Gatwick) and 32 x weekly (Manchester) which seems to indicate, as most people have probably suspected, 2 airframe losses at both Gatwick and Manchester, and 1 airframe loss at Birmingham and Luton.
I know that some existing services will operate with increased frequencies next year, but I expect that some other existing services will operate at reduced frequencies based on August of this year.
Still early days I know, but expect quite a reduction in the number of daily rotations next Summer (I think they have been hitting close to 200 a day on some peak days in August with the overnight additional services to Spain (Palma, Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife South) in place.

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: GCLP
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ZB W14/15 & S15
May have been mentioned in previous posts but new edition of the ZB In-Flight Magazine supplies some info on new/increased routes:
BHX-SZG 1xWeekly From 13Dec
BHX-TRN 1xWeekly From 13Dec
LBA-LPA 2xWeekly From 08Nov
S15 increased frequenices to:
FCO
VCE
FAO
VRN
PMI
GIB
NBE
TFS
ALC
DLM
BHX-SZG 1xWeekly From 13Dec
BHX-TRN 1xWeekly From 13Dec
LBA-LPA 2xWeekly From 08Nov
S15 increased frequenices to:
FCO
VCE
FAO
VRN
PMI
GIB
NBE
TFS
ALC
DLM

Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
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What we know so far, the 2 x A330's will be gone by next Summer, and we are also 2 aircraft light from the closure of the East Midlands base. If the rumoured closure of the Leeds Bradford base goes ahead (2 x A320 aircraft) then we are only 6 aircraft short of the rumoured reduction of 12 aircraft.


Join Date: Sep 2014
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Interesting to hear the A330's may be leaving the fleet. Although this does make me wonder, what will be operating the long haul Sanford (Orlando) flights next year as they are already available to book? An A321 perhaps?
