Monarch 2
There will also be the majority of happy customers where the name will have good connotations - they just don't tell the world about it
It might well fail, but it won't be because o the name.
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Someone on LinkedIn spotted that the Favicon (the website associated icon that shows up when you had to favorites) contained the FlyBe logo.
What's going on here? Of the shelf airline resurrection services?
What's going on here? Of the shelf airline resurrection services?
https://airwaysmag.com/monarch-details-about-relaunch/
- Investment from both European Union and United Kingdom,
- Will be an accompanying Holidays venture,
- Looking to initially acquire 15 A320 through a UK based company,
- Intended bases will be very similar to previous.
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Be interesting if they think they can just waltz back into previous bases. LGW/BHX/MAN and LTN are all severely more slot constrained in peak hours now than they were previously. It took Monarch many, many years to build up the slot portfolio that they had and will take a similar length of time to get back to those levels if they can even get in at the required times to start with. Mere details that the founders tend to overlook.....
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The chairman's LinkedIn profile says about his Monarch role: "Successfully led takeover of company by private equity following the exit of previous shareholders in July 2023."
Er... no, not really. This makes it sound like a going concern rather than a fire sale of assets following bankruptcy. The "takeover" seems only to have been of the brand, not of any functioning company. (The chairman's profile also describes him as "Leading a new Monarch to provenance" - in the words of Inigo Montoya, "I do not think that word means what you think it means.")
I get from the breathless Airways article that it is early days, that there has been no discussion with the CAA yet about an AOC (which makes a Summer 2024 start rather challenging), no engagement with airports, and no substantive discussions on fleet (other than perhaps identifying a UK broker who can go and look for aircraft).
I'm not automatically negative about startups - I'm all in favour of entrepreneurs finding gaps in the market and launching new, well-thought-out, airlines to fill those gaps (which may or may not succeed, even with good planning and execution - it's a brutally tough business). But where's the gap here to start with? What can a new startup do that the existing players (LCCs, leisure carriers, or wet-lease providers) can't do between them, especially as aircraft lease rates are no longer as low as they were a couple of years ago? And where are the slots coming from? Luton is basically full these days.
This one remains filed under "Flights of Fancy".
Er... no, not really. This makes it sound like a going concern rather than a fire sale of assets following bankruptcy. The "takeover" seems only to have been of the brand, not of any functioning company. (The chairman's profile also describes him as "Leading a new Monarch to provenance" - in the words of Inigo Montoya, "I do not think that word means what you think it means.")
I get from the breathless Airways article that it is early days, that there has been no discussion with the CAA yet about an AOC (which makes a Summer 2024 start rather challenging), no engagement with airports, and no substantive discussions on fleet (other than perhaps identifying a UK broker who can go and look for aircraft).
I'm not automatically negative about startups - I'm all in favour of entrepreneurs finding gaps in the market and launching new, well-thought-out, airlines to fill those gaps (which may or may not succeed, even with good planning and execution - it's a brutally tough business). But where's the gap here to start with? What can a new startup do that the existing players (LCCs, leisure carriers, or wet-lease providers) can't do between them, especially as aircraft lease rates are no longer as low as they were a couple of years ago? And where are the slots coming from? Luton is basically full these days.
This one remains filed under "Flights of Fancy".
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Which UK based companies would do A320s? Most are based in Ireland or Malta for tax reasons?
As for slots, no chance unless you are going to buy them at the going rate. Perhaps they will be Southend's saviour!?
As for slots, no chance unless you are going to buy them at the going rate. Perhaps they will be Southend's saviour!?
Last edited by pabely; 21st Aug 2023 at 11:46.
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Maybe they could also look to get slots at Doncaster, Prestwick, Carlisle and Teeside as well.
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Be interesting if they think they can just waltz back into previous bases. LGW/BHX/MAN and LTN are all severely more slot constrained in peak hours now than they were previously. It took Monarch many, many years to build up the slot portfolio that they had and will take a similar length of time to get back to those levels if they can even get in at the required times to start with. Mere details that the founders tend to overlook.....
Having said that one of these comebacks must surely succeed at some point. Perhaps this will be the one.
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The Airways article talks about 15 A.320's - any link to Ascend, the ACMI operator starting a UK arm announced recently?
Looking to initially acquire 15 A320 through a UK based company
https://airwaysmag.com/monarch-details-about-relaunch/
- Investment from both European Union and United Kingdom,
- Will be an accompanying Holidays venture,
- Looking to initially acquire 15 A320 through a UK based company,
- Intended bases will be very similar to previous.
Paxing All Over The World
Far too many factors against them. Another, small one, is the pressure in Europe to swap short haul for train. Any carrier who gives up those routes has slots, a/c and crews ready for new destinations. Further, Europe and UK in particular are going to have a very tough 5/10 years after Covid and other financial shocks, many countries are likely to go into recession.
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I see The Times has ripped off the discussion on here again to print an article on M2
Too many issues for this to have much chance of success.
The market for UK origin leisure flights, with or without an associated hotel etc package is well served by existing operators. Jet 2 and TUI have packages sewn up with Easy and Ryanair focussed more on seat only and self assembly holidays.
How many UK airports can sustain another base with aircraft on the ground ready for a departure at the sort of time modern utilisation regimes demand? Southend and Teesside might have but EMA, BHX, MAN LBA etc are already rammed. Even if all the other ducks could be lined up I don't see this operation being enough to 'de mothball' Doncaster.
Any goodwill associated with the Monarch name is pretty much gone. Another year or two to get it going and, for the under thirties it's go no more recognition than a dozen other airlines that closed or merged since Y2K.
If, and it's a big if, it could find a niche market and/or a USP then maybe, from small beginnings, it could move on to grow but I'm not holding my breath, never mind investing.
The market for UK origin leisure flights, with or without an associated hotel etc package is well served by existing operators. Jet 2 and TUI have packages sewn up with Easy and Ryanair focussed more on seat only and self assembly holidays.
How many UK airports can sustain another base with aircraft on the ground ready for a departure at the sort of time modern utilisation regimes demand? Southend and Teesside might have but EMA, BHX, MAN LBA etc are already rammed. Even if all the other ducks could be lined up I don't see this operation being enough to 'de mothball' Doncaster.
Any goodwill associated with the Monarch name is pretty much gone. Another year or two to get it going and, for the under thirties it's go no more recognition than a dozen other airlines that closed or merged since Y2K.
If, and it's a big if, it could find a niche market and/or a USP then maybe, from small beginnings, it could move on to grow but I'm not holding my breath, never mind investing.
Actually, easyJet are already advertising like mad at Gatwick for their package holidays as they try and tap that market. Holidays 2023 / 2024 | easyJet holidays
Monarch were good in their time, but when the money flow from "the family" stopped, the company went downhill within a few years.
But even before that, the new easyJet started a service from Luton - Monarch's head office base - to Glasgow and Edinburgh; something that Monarch could have done, along with embracing the internet for ticket sales and a radical ticket pricing structure. But they didn't, until it was too late. And the least said about their scruffy last CEO the better......*
A company called Silver Jet tried offering a high class service from Luton to New York, I think, with good leg room and comfort etc. But it didn't work, so I wouldn't hold out much hope for a Monarch #2 offering a similar service.
* He pops up on the radio now and then as an "airline expert". Ha ha ha.
But even before that, the new easyJet started a service from Luton - Monarch's head office base - to Glasgow and Edinburgh; something that Monarch could have done, along with embracing the internet for ticket sales and a radical ticket pricing structure. But they didn't, until it was too late. And the least said about their scruffy last CEO the better......*
A company called Silver Jet tried offering a high class service from Luton to New York, I think, with good leg room and comfort etc. But it didn't work, so I wouldn't hold out much hope for a Monarch #2 offering a similar service.
* He pops up on the radio now and then as an "airline expert". Ha ha ha.
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….. it would be more accurate to say that the money flow went from Monarch Airlines to the ‘family’ - that was a major reason why the Company went downhill. All take and no investment by the Mantegazzas.
EU261 payments didn’t help either whilst trying to operate on schedule with an ageing, disparate aircraft fleet.
Monarch Mk2 is a non-starter - bit like that bloke that thinks that he can operate tired, old A380s across the Atlantic.
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Would be great if it does indeed start up again and it gets back to the level it once was (and it's profitable unlike the last couple of years of the predecessor) but I'm not overly optimistic that it'll get off the ground unfortunately. The market is very saturated now as well, with pretty much all their previous routes being taken over by other carriers. Would love to be proved wrong though.
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Flybe v2 was always a flightless bird because there was no gap in the market for it to fill; Loganair, with its track record over many years, and underpinned by its Scottish operations (many PSO supported) were operating all the viable routes.
But Monarch v2 is conceivable, but only just. At present jet2 and TUI offer inclusive packages, including to 4/5* accommodation, but the flights are in economy with all that that entails in terms of seat pitch, luggage allowance etc. Maybe the promoters of new Monarch believe that there is a market for similar upmarket accommodation but using aircraft fitted out to a higher standard, premium economy or better, with fewer seats, more free luggage, enhanced food offer etc. Perhaps even lounge access. I'm sure some people would pay for this, but enough?
But Monarch v2 is conceivable, but only just. At present jet2 and TUI offer inclusive packages, including to 4/5* accommodation, but the flights are in economy with all that that entails in terms of seat pitch, luggage allowance etc. Maybe the promoters of new Monarch believe that there is a market for similar upmarket accommodation but using aircraft fitted out to a higher standard, premium economy or better, with fewer seats, more free luggage, enhanced food offer etc. Perhaps even lounge access. I'm sure some people would pay for this, but enough?
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Maybe not just specific to a potential new entrant but most major airports must be maxing out on night movements I would have thought.
Those longer flights to destinations in the eastern Med & Egypt rarely return before 23:00. If you can't fly a decent number of hours per day, you won't be able to compete with the incumbents who already hold the prize night slots.
Those longer flights to destinations in the eastern Med & Egypt rarely return before 23:00. If you can't fly a decent number of hours per day, you won't be able to compete with the incumbents who already hold the prize night slots.