Gibraltar's like that. Although flights arrive on time they leave late because of the ground staff. It takes them ages to bring a bus back from a plane.

Don't know which Gibraltar MYK661 you have flown from but never had any problems there with flights more or less on time with easyJet, Monarch and BA over the last few years. Only had one problem so far when an easy aircraft went tech and we were bussed to Malaga but unfortunately these things happen occasionally. Often it is only 200-300 metres to the aircraft from the departure lounge - even closer when? the new terminal is finished.

Expansion
 

Monarch to add planes as it switches to a budget airline : Luton Airport News Stories


How accurate is this information?

I don't remember seeing anything mentioned about expansion of the fleet.

Interesting find. I don't remember anything about fleet expansion being mentioned but it certainly adds up when you consider that the current fleet is under discussion and Monarch is looking at operating from other bases. In the meantime, Monarch is also in discussions to start uo new routes to France and Italy by Summer 2012 whilst adding flights to Spain and Portugal.

The story is taken from the article in the Independent, "Monarch to expand fleet" and I reckon it is true :ok:

Monarch's planes shabby, or just a run of bad luck?
 

Hi guys,

I know that Monarch Engineering are sort-after and do a great job on the Monarch fleet, so I'm guessing they're just facing a huge period of bad luck at the moment re the state of their A/C.

I know people have been complaining about Monarch's extensive delays this year, especially out of MAN.

I just traveled to Alicante and back yesterday to see friends and ZB682 in the morning due at 7.15 left at 9.48 due to a flight computer failure and a faulty smoke detector in the rear hold.

Furthermore the evening flight ZB676 to ALC was delayed nearly 2 hours as the refuelling point on the aircraft had a faulty seal and had to be totally replaced before it could fly.

I'm not moaning, I love a good delay, more time to mooch around the airport however I'm just wondering if engineering are slacking or if their A/C are all due checks soon?

Cheers
eJJ ;)

P.S I know that A/C are pushed to their max during summer periods but 4 sectors a day to Spain and back isn't too taxing, surely.

Ohhh also, is anyone able to tell me which A/C are based at MAN this summer, or even better, where all the A/C are based for the summer program?

Thanks

Airlines have tech delays. I've just been looking at a 17hr delay Thomson Airways. Monarch have the best engineers in the world in my opinion but sometimes airlines have tech delays and if it is a busy period they often cannot swap aircraft especially when crew hours come into the mix etc.

Some other delays from LGW today:

EZS 8481 Geneva delayed 2hrs 35mins
TCX1523 Dalaman delayed 3hrs 25mins

It's the nature of the business. If the early departure is hit with a delay in the summer it normally means it knocks onto other departures of the day. No airline wants a delay. Delays = £££

Easy Jet Jack.How to upset 400 engineers
 

Slacking? SLACKING!!!! We work damn hard keeping our aircraft safe and fit to fly.Computers fail,seals fail,we don,t know when but we fix them pdq.i find you,re comments hurtful and ill informed and i think most of the aircraft engineering community will think the same.

Hi I was just wondering why MON1828 from Manchester to Corfu was delayed by 8 hours today, also what aircraft operated this route?

Thanks,
Harer92

I complimented MAEL as I know they have kept some of Monarch's oldest and finest in ship shape form.

You say my comments were "ill informed", may I kindly point out, allosaurus, that I asked a question thus implying I am not informed at all. Hence why I was asking the question.

You may also realize that I dismissed this question also and asked if the A/C were merely due checks soon and therefore have been run down a little due to high season demands.

All in all, I think you are been a tad over sensitive, allosaurus, by my mere question I seem to have offended you and for that I apologize.

However I was not making an "ill informed" assumption, I was, as I have said, asking a question, and as a loyal, paying Monarch customer, I am more that entitled to do so.

It was G-MAJS, A300B4-605R. Don't know reason for delay though, sorry.

I'm sure MON do a great job maintaining there aircraft but the age of the aircraft is not on there side a little like Jet2, tec faults are going to happon like with all airlines but slightly more often with MON and LS.

Delay on the MAN-CFU-MAN was due to the aircraft being used earlier in the day to operate a LGW-DLM-LGW due to A330 stuck in PFO tech.
The first available A300 that came available after the first rotations was despatched to MAN to operate the CFU.
No spare A330 or A300 in the programme today.

EasyJet Jack
 

Planes at MAN this summer:

(Note, this is how many aircraft are going to be this summer. Registrations are the aircraft based at MAN at the moment and could change)

A300 X2 (1 between SAT afternoon and MON night)
Current - G-OJMR, G-MAJS

A320 X1
Current - G-MPCD

A321 X6
Current - G-MARA, G-OZBE, G-OZBH, G-OZBI, G-OZBO, G-OZBP

A330 X1
Current - G-SMAN

B757 X1
Current - G-MONK

One in DUB 3 days a week.

As for delays LS had two flights going out of Man delayed by 6 hours or more, as said it happens to everyone, an item can fail on a new plane as well as an old one, much like cars computers and most other things these days. Not sure i like being delayed going out, not so bad coming back to an extent, although had a 5 hour delay couple of years ago in TFS, was getting unbearable due to heat but thay's not airlines fault and a whole different story.:E

The DUB 321 comes from LGW. As does the 320 currently.

Flight article from yesterday

Monarch looking to 2014 for first Boeing 787-8

Easyjet jack, Monarch engineers looked after our A330,s for some years and they never failed to impress us with their can do attitude and highly professional approach, i would say there are among the industries best so what ever problems Monarch may be having, if any, i doubt very much if its due to those guys ""slacking off".

Its a pity you could not spend a few shifts working alongside the line engineeers it just might make you appreciate just how demading a task it is keeping a mixed fleet of in some case pretty ancient aircraft servicable

Since we're talking about all the hard work Monarch Engineering do at the moment, I thought some of you might like to take a look at the following clip of them in action in a brief clip below on an EZY. Enjoy :)