I worked for a scheduled carrier operating under the 'flag carrier' on Monarch style routes. We offered everything you wished for, similar to crown service and more besides. Passengers loved the service, they lapped it up........'proud to be British' I often heard as they rolled off the A320/A321 merry in TFS. They just weren't willing to pay for it.

However, if post crown service Monarch, were £10 cheaper they would go with Monarch et al. The result being a full service being offered at LCC prices.

The LCC's can go too far, i think Ryanair is an example of it. At the other end of the spectrum, the old days were great but we have to let it go. Passenger expectations have changed, we now see passengers onboard flights who have never experienced an inflight meal and that isn't strange to them. Meanwhile, the majority are just happy with the situation we're in. They aren't estatic, flying is as much fun as it once was but they get to travel more...and quite often they place more value on that.

Your vision will appeal to many but alot of them, when it comes down to it, just won't pay for it. Those that are willing will not keep an airline a float.

I sound old......i'm only just 29.

Is ZB struggling on Milan/Malpensa routes ?

October's frequencies cut

LGW from 6 to 2/3
MAN from 4 to 3
BHX from 4 to 2

The competition looks pretty fierce since both Ryanair and Flybe serve the same routes.

Sadly Easyflyer and the others are right, these days people will not pay..A present day analagy is the situation of Brittany Ferries, long established high quality operator on almost monopoly routes, excellent safety record but very high costs whilst providing a `crown Service` type operation at sea. As a result its ships are all presently tied up in ports and the company is on the verge of bankrupcy.....The customers wont pay their prices..

Instead they can swap Tesco vouchers and have a free ride on the Euro Tunnel...now thats what the British public love. As someone said they know the price of everything and the value of nothing and that aint gonna change soon...............makes you weep:{

Keyvon

Just the normal winter reduction due lower demand. Haven't check the other carriers but expect they will or have reduced as well.

Just tried to look at flights LGW-MXP in August 2013. No flights are displayed on calendar/Flight view when booking for the whole month! Checked Earlier Dates aswell, Still no flights.

Also, I checked summer flights to Milan also from Birmingham and Manchester. Those too had no flights displayed!

Me thinks that Monarch has decided to pull out of these routes! :)

Me thinks next summer flights ain't on sale yet :)

Milan
 

Unfortunately most of BHX flights were on sale for next summer fitting 9 based aircraft and this included Milan.

All Milan services no longer bookable after 4 November from BHX, LGW and MAN. It seems to much of a co-incidence for time or day schedule changes, it does seem that they are all about to be pulled.

A bit late in the day to get the frequencies replaced but lets hope as BHX could do with a few more rotations to the Canaries.

Seems odd that Air One and Monarch should both cancel their Gatwick-Malpensa services. Have Easyjet been offering particularly low fares on the route with the effect of booting out the competition ?

can somebody tell me how many aircraft is based at bhx..I was working near fen end and sure I saw 6 aircraft ( mix 757 320/1 and pretty sure I saw a 737) I know its probably old topic ( but I wouldn't know how far I would have to go back)

BHX
 

jamesp

eight based until the end of the month and then four for winter.

The eight vary but usually

4 x A321's

2 x A320's

1 x 734 - Air Explore

1 x a mix of ZB A320's or Titan 757

thank you for that op I thought it was less than that..thanks again

Is Monarch operating for Thomson out of Edinburgh next year ? Is it my imagination but performance has not been great in 2012 for them out of EDI

No Thomson are basing their own ac at EDi & LBA next summer confirmed yesterday.

munrobagger

Is Monarch operating for Thomson out of Edinburgh next year ? Is it my imagination but performance has not been great in 2012 for them out of EDI


Apart for one period in May the performance out of EDI has been pretty good.

Have also heard that Thomson (at the moment!) plan to take it in-house next year.

My folks had a near 24 hour delay with Monarch 2 weeks ago on the FAO-LGW route. I happened to check the Monarch Facebook page to see if there was any info, as they weren't getting anything locally. I was stunned at what I read about an airline that I had heralded for many years. Littered with complaints about delays, poor customer service and attitude, it was nothing short of a PR disaster.

Buy its always those who moan, complain and have an axe to grind that frequent forums like that.
All the thousands of happy passengers just come and go and enjoy their holiday/journey.

Be good to have the happy people add a balance to the arguements.

Well said Serenity!!All the great work we do week in week out ,are very conscious of are work and service to the customer,the hundreds who say they want to "let the company know how well they have been helped,taken care of,dealt with a particular situation"....but all you publicly see are the complaints!!,:*...oh well sky suit on and back to work with a smile:)

MXP
 

Does anybody know if there is likely to bbe a replacement route from ZB for the MXP route?

Skytrax is a better read! The reviews are in English not text talk!

As always you will see more complaints but it's also nice to see a fair amount of compliments too!

I guess next years load factor will be the proof in the pudding?

Just been confirmed on Jethros that the A320 which was planned to be a standby aircraft for 2013 (G-MPCD) will now not be retained for summer 2013 and will leave the fleet along with th A300 (G-MONR) on 4th November.