Monarch - 3
Was just putting it out there; a hypothetical scenario really. I'm struggling to find places in Europe that aren't already served by EZY/FR that ZB could expand into.
My personal view is that Monarch will always struggle to compete. It has a well established brand but only in the UK, they do a great job serving the Costas, Balearics and Canaries but otherwise they aren't that different from many other LCC's.
I think Monarch could do something to improve their pricing / yield management.
Their fares don't seem to work on the steady increases as seats are sold (a la EZY), but seem to start exceptionally high, then work down & then back up again.
Then there is the £20 off sale, which has become like a DFS sale as when this "offer" ends, an identical one starts a few days later. This becomes unbelievable as a genuine offer to the consumer.
Certainly from MAN, I've found it more cost effective to fly via AMS to BCN with KLM this year on several occasions (+ you get a choice of flight times).
I can't believe their MAN-MUC is so heavily booked that for a flight in 7 months time it's almost £200 (with seat & bags), whereas with EZY it's £146 & with the most choice of departure times - Lufthansa comes in at only £141.
Out of all the UK Locos, I find ZB probably the most civilised to travel with & you don't usually get herded onto airbridges & pens when the aircraft is not ready for boarding. However, to so often price themselves above full service airlines is IMHO a mistake.
Their fares don't seem to work on the steady increases as seats are sold (a la EZY), but seem to start exceptionally high, then work down & then back up again.
Then there is the £20 off sale, which has become like a DFS sale as when this "offer" ends, an identical one starts a few days later. This becomes unbelievable as a genuine offer to the consumer.
Certainly from MAN, I've found it more cost effective to fly via AMS to BCN with KLM this year on several occasions (+ you get a choice of flight times).
I can't believe their MAN-MUC is so heavily booked that for a flight in 7 months time it's almost £200 (with seat & bags), whereas with EZY it's £146 & with the most choice of departure times - Lufthansa comes in at only £141.
Out of all the UK Locos, I find ZB probably the most civilised to travel with & you don't usually get herded onto airbridges & pens when the aircraft is not ready for boarding. However, to so often price themselves above full service airlines is IMHO a mistake.
Last edited by Mr A Tis; 21st Oct 2012 at 20:13.
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I think Monarch could do something to improve their pricing / yield management.
Great loads and higher yields sounds like an airlines ideal situation in my book!
But by the same token, when you look at your typical Monarch routes, if they couldn't achieve such loads in peak Summer then there definitely would be something going wrong. Championing high August load factors at a bucket and spade based carrier doesn't really hold any water. An airline with a more diverse network can achieve similar loads on similar routes whilst seeing some load reductions on business orientated routes during that sae 'peak' period.
easyflyer makes an excellent point.
When Monarch have diversified they have so far, had to retreat e.g from Madrid & Milan (I would not be surprised to see Verona & Munich next).
If they are serious about city flights then they need to do more homework first.
The last time I took ZB to BCN, I had 3 seats to myself, that was a few months ago, since then I've been on KLM.
When Monarch have diversified they have so far, had to retreat e.g from Madrid & Milan (I would not be surprised to see Verona & Munich next).
If they are serious about city flights then they need to do more homework first.
The last time I took ZB to BCN, I had 3 seats to myself, that was a few months ago, since then I've been on KLM.
Last edited by Mr A Tis; 21st Oct 2012 at 22:58.
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Obviously MXP has had bad loads that is why they are dropping it. I think MUC will be OK once the winter season gets going, Its FDH that I'm unsure about. Also people have said VRN has had bad loads they still seem to be operating it next year. They only do it from MAN anyway.
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Well there has certainly been a change...
At EMA we're still seeing the Air Italy Group and the Small Planet aircraft but as well as the voices of the wet lease crews we've come to recognise there is now a profoundly british voice in the flight deck on every flight and from what I can gather its the captains.
Now I doubt these are the incoming based captains as the Air Italy and Small Planet a/c are a 733 and a 734 but the based ZB is to be A321 so I can only presume this is in response to another issue.
At EMA we're still seeing the Air Italy Group and the Small Planet aircraft but as well as the voices of the wet lease crews we've come to recognise there is now a profoundly british voice in the flight deck on every flight and from what I can gather its the captains.
Now I doubt these are the incoming based captains as the Air Italy and Small Planet a/c are a 733 and a 734 but the based ZB is to be A321 so I can only presume this is in response to another issue.
Last edited by Burnie5204; 22nd Oct 2012 at 11:07.
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During last week, media reports quoted ABTA as staing that package holidays are now increasing again. In fact during 2010 37% of travellers prefered package holidays. During 2011 that figure increased to 42% and this year the figure stands at 48%. If it increases to 60% that figure will represent the pre Easyjet and Ryanair days.
Maybe there will be interesting years ahead once more?
Maybe there will be interesting years ahead once more?
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Wouldn't say there is a British speaking captain flying every day, every flight, there is one working for Small Planet, that's it. Passengers are lucky if they get 1 Monarch flight attended pop up once a week, usually on a Saturday morning.
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OliWW
I would, speaking to them briefly and seeing them getting on and off both aircraft as well as hearing them on the radio all day (8 movements either inbound or outbound)
Even if it was only yesterday it's certainly not something that we've seen/heard since they started operating the wet leases at EMA but there was definately one british flight crew member and one non-native voice on every MON flightdeck yesterday.
I would, speaking to them briefly and seeing them getting on and off both aircraft as well as hearing them on the radio all day (8 movements either inbound or outbound)
Even if it was only yesterday it's certainly not something that we've seen/heard since they started operating the wet leases at EMA but there was definately one british flight crew member and one non-native voice on every MON flightdeck yesterday.
Last edited by Burnie5204; 22nd Oct 2012 at 16:10.
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Inbound to MAN 21/10/2012 MXP 69 passengers. VRN 86 passengers mostly grey haired walkers.
STATSMAN, Don't forget some of us Silver Foxes have plenty of disposable cash to spend. Also I would expect the autumn to be relatively quiet as it is after the summer season (VRN is good in summer for the Italian Lakes and Opera festival) but before the ski season when VRN provides good access to the Alps. When I used the route in the summer it was absolutley packed with both high end holiday makers and city breakers. I think VRN will be fine. With regard to MXP it suprised me that ZB even picked this as they would be up against Flybe as well as the 'cheaper' option of FR at Bergamo. I would like them to try elsewhere in Italy or France that is currently unserved (e.g. Bordeaux)
STATSMAN, Don't forget some of us Silver Foxes have plenty of disposable cash to spend. Also I would expect the autumn to be relatively quiet as it is after the summer season (VRN is good in summer for the Italian Lakes and Opera festival) but before the ski season when VRN provides good access to the Alps. When I used the route in the summer it was absolutley packed with both high end holiday makers and city breakers. I think VRN will be fine. With regard to MXP it suprised me that ZB even picked this as they would be up against Flybe as well as the 'cheaper' option of FR at Bergamo. I would like them to try elsewhere in Italy or France that is currently unserved (e.g. Bordeaux)
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Birmingham
Would really like to see Monarch launch flights to Pisa, every other major UK airport has flights so the demand must be surely be there. And given the loads on bmibaby's last flights to Lisbon and Prague then surely they're worth investigating? Other possible destinations; Geneva? Warsaw? Riga?
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Burnie5204
Funnily enough, the majority of the crews are Italian or Lithuanian. The crew change round every so often, they all have tour plans and rotate around after so many flights. There is only one English Captain I have met, probably more. Its also an A320 that's being based for the winter.
Funnily enough, the majority of the crews are Italian or Lithuanian. The crew change round every so often, they all have tour plans and rotate around after so many flights. There is only one English Captain I have met, probably more. Its also an A320 that's being based for the winter.
Last edited by OliWW; 22nd Oct 2012 at 19:31.
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Be aware
Just be aware of Monarch`s so called special offers..I received an email offering a discount on flights,using one their codes, valid until the 31st October only to find when I went to book tonight , for some strange reason, that it has now expired early. Fine if thats their game, on principle will now book elsewhere. Whatever they do, their management appears less than convincing
