Monarch to launch new winter sun and ski flights - Travelmole, 28 Mar 2012

I'm not sure which stand it is by but if you know where the Thomson offices are then it is next to them. Basically, if you take the escalator in T2 above where the Monarch check in desks are, turn right into the restricted staff area at the entrance to security and follow the corridor as far down and left then you won't be far out.

Thanks partyboy sounds like its near the driving training offices.

BTW, I was talking to one of your engineers the other day and he was saying the 737 NG is more than likely off the table and MON are looking at more airbuses any truth in that?

The honest truth is I have no idea what the fleet make up will be. I try my best to ignore any rumours. The company have said they will make an announcement before too long.

As an entirely personal point of view, I don't see how Boeing short/medium haul aircraft would fit alongside the many Airbus it already has. Just my two pennies worth. :hmm:

and have been saying that since about this time last year. Wonder if there will be another event to announce it :suspect:

I think it will be GVA, GNB, INN & SZG that will become the new routes (I know they do it charter though). Possibly CMF as well.

I know this is not a rumour but since MON just aquired two ex TOM A320's do you think they might get the TOM's A321's and other A320 as they are due to leave the TOM fleet. Just a suggestion like.

Good to see MON expanding, Must say i think they are a great outfit i deal a bit with the crews and the engineers and they always appear a very professional and friendly bunch:ok:

When they say 10 new scheduled routes, do they mean from all of their bases put together?

Really pleased that Monarch is entering these markets, especially in the quieter winter period where summer routes are not as popular or do not operate :)

M-P67,

Judging by previous form, they mean 10 routes in total.

Can't imagine GVA being on the list as EZY seem to have that sewn-up with Topswiss.

Looks like a Corsair 747 positioning into MAN right now on a ZB callsign, maybe going to do a MAN-SSH. Also a Pulmantur 747 doing the LGW-SAN. Wouldn't have thought ZB would be short of aircraft this early in the season.(?)

MOD contracts and over-running maintenance the cause, I believe.

So everyone still happy to laud the 'lucrative' MoD contracts now we've blown several hundred grand on two 744s.

Another blinding decision by Mr two-titles

Jamesferns - you deal with crews and engineers 'a bit' yet you know exactly how much money MON make on MoD. Another fantasist.

Same old, same old......

MOD contracts at the expense of all other flights (which does not exclude making short notice cancellations), is why I avoid ZB like the plague and have done for several years now. It's nothing new.

The MOD are more important to them than the fare paying passenger, who they have no qualms about inconveniencing and sub chartering aircraft tomove them...if you are lucky.

Egon


It would appear to me that you have a more cost efficent method of utilising our various aircraft on the wide range of flying that they are required to carry out.............would you like to elaborate on how you propose this should happen?

Im quite sure you have detailed all your thoughts on an isuggest report to KG.............so it should be fairly simple to paste it here for us all to read and comment on.

Funnily enough, I have just returned from a sporting event this afternoon, where a gentleman sat next to me was very quick to criticize the performance of our team manager...........easy thing to do of course, chastising from the sidelines, telling us all how it would be so much more succesful if they were in charge...........

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Actually egon old boy my BIL is a civil servant who is involved with the MOD in the procurement of aircraft for trooping flights so i know exactly what the costs involved are and they are real money spinners for the airlines involved , which is why MON are so keen to tender for this work

Further, The reason the 747 was subbed is down to one of the A300,s suffering tech problems which may take some time to rectify , Not MOD work, Suprised you were unaware of that fact ...then again maybe im not
.:ok:

The problem is james, that these days whatever spin is put on delays and cancellations at ZB, even if it is the truth, it is not believed.

IB4138 you seem to have had some bad experiences with ZB flights. How many have been cancelled? I don't have the figures myself but at the moment it seems the sub charter is due tec reasons not greed. At least they have arranged alternative transport, at no doubt great expense, and not cancelled the flight.
The MOD work is predominantly on the 330 and therefore does not greatly impact the ZB schedule.
In my experience even at times of huge disruption due wx or industrial action Mon will continue to send the ZB's no matter how late or how many crews are required if it is physically possible to do so when other company's crews are being stood down and sent home with mass cancellations and no provision for the unlucky pax.
I am at a loss to understand where you're opinion of the scheduled service comes from unless you think that ZB covers all MON flights? It doesn't, it's only the scheduled part.

I can only say albeit as a employee of a mere handling agent ive never seen the ZB program so busy at MAN at this time of year and the loads were excellent l so they must be doing something right, same story at BHX as well i hear

gunka

I have developed this view of ZB/MON by experience over the last ten years.
No on the day cancellations, but several short notice ones and sod the extra expense that the passenger incurs by their actions.

Maybe, having been used to the old Crown Service of 20+ years ago, I see now a very sub standard service, compared to what used to be, being sold as a scheduled service.

I do not choose to place my business with ZB/MON, unless it is a matter of last resort.

You reap what you sow. My family and I have had abysmal treatment from this mob in the last 10 years.

gunka, IB4138 is a MON-bashing troll (not unlike egon)

It would be nice if some specifics were posted alongside the vitriol but there never is.

I think the clue is in the name and that there is a link to Iberia in some way.

It's doubtful that you can hark back to the old Crown service of 20 years ago as I was under the impression that scheduled services only commenced in 1996?
Unless you're referring to the old tour op service, a different product.

Please define the "abysmal" service that you've had please, just so we can see what your definition of abysmal is.

I'll define it on my side. I arrived into LHR with BA 45 mins ahead of schedule. It then took us 1hr 20mins to be parked on a remote stand. Another hour to be coached to the terminal. 6 hours for the baggage to be removed from the aircraft as "all the loaders were busy". That's my definition.

Yours?

Tart. ZB started in 1986.

Shows what you know.

TT

You are fully aware, through our past clashes, over the years, of specifics I have raised, which you have always managed to try to defend from a "company" point of view.

There is no longer an Iberia connection with me and has not been for several years, as you suggest.

However there is with ZB,where you are concerned, as Iberia are their handling agents in Spain.

I speak as I find.

As I said, "Same old. same old"...MOD contracts at the expense of everything else. Nothing has changed, or will change with ZB/MON.

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for these days. However some carriers charge more for an equal/lesser service than competitors offer. Simply my view on ZB/MON, no more no less. I will travel on EZY/FR/LS before even looking at a ZB flight on the AGP-UK routes, based on past experience. Every time we have used a ZB flight in the past 5/6 years, there has been a problem of one sort or another.

I am no troll, as you suggest, but expect better than most UK punters accept, without complaint, from ZB and other UK based airlines. Time people in the UK spoke up, instead of remaining silent.

Having experienced Turkish Airlines service for very reasonable fares, booked at short notice, within and outside Europe, in the last week ( booked 4 days before travel), this only leads me to even more query ZB's and other UK airlines attitude to their passengers, when I take into account a recent experience of my wife with ZB and value for money. ZB are simply the worst of a bunch.

With MON/ZB, if a differently configured aircraft from their fleet operates your flight or the flight is sub contracted to another carrier, your pre booked and paid for, extra leg room seat will not exist and you will struggle to obtain any pre ordered food. The flight crew won't want to know and you will then have to fight customer services department for a refund.

As I said before too many people in the UK just accept situations, without making any complaint and/or requesting refunds. If more people demanded money back and then voted with their feet on the service received, then maybe the bean counters would sit up and take notice.

I know you are entitled to your opinion IB4138 but in my opinion I cannot see where you are coming from. Never ever had any problem with Monarch over the last 40 years dating back to my first flight in a Britannia in 1971. Excellent flight deck crew and cabin crew - no diversions or tech problems. Maybe I have been very lucky but as they say take them as you find them. Also if you are the person I think you are down here on the Costa del Sol I can see you are coming from a different SPECTRUM! so I know that you maybe have some sour grapes.

IB4138, you are quite correct, you do get what you pay for. BA have just switched handling agents to Menzies at MANC after they undercut everyone else, it's not just a MON thing, it's business in tough times.
I'm sorry you're experiences have been sub standard but you do seem to have been particularly unlucky, after operating the AGP service for many years myself i can't honestly recall a single one being cancelled. As for aircraft swaps they are not done for fun, usually operational or tec reasons and the fact they have found a replacement a/c shows the effort put in to keep the show on the road. Unfortunately due to the different types/configs MON operate this can lead to seating issues and don't start me on the catering side! There is work to be done, the supposedly uncaring cabin crew are some of the most vocal at speaking up for you when they feel their service hasn't been up to scratch due catering issues, as for what they can do about it onboard it's not much unfortunately although i have seen some sacrifice their own crew food on occasion.
I feel it unfair to compare todays service to the long gone Crown version. That's not what they are selling and against the direct competition these days Easy/RYR/Jet2 they still compare very well, i've tried them.
You have every right to vote with your feet/wallet and to be honest it doesn't worry me one bit if someone expecting a business class service on a budget ticket does, it makes everyone's day more pleasant.
Safe flying.

And another thing!
If you want to improve MON's service i suggest you start closer to home, as someone who was associated with Iberia should know half our delays down route are due directly to Iberia's cut backs/incompetence. Two and a half hours looking for bags which had never been loaded, nobody to remove the airbridge as they only paid for one man to be qualified to drive it, no pushback crew, poor comms with despatcher if you can find one and if you want to see a truly uncaring attitude try telling them what you think!
As someone who demands perfection i'm surprised you were ever associated with such a shambles unless of course it was all great back in your day, like when we had a Crown service. See a pattern?

Well, I've never had a problem with ZB. Never had a cancellation - at least they do sub charter. I've had EZY flights cancelled within 90 minutes of departure - and believe me, you're on your own!!.
Last year I had 2 ZB diversions (at Barcelona & Alicante) both due weather.
ZB diverted, kept the pax informed, refuelled & got to destination. EZY & RYR diverted- dumped pax to await coaches & buggered off back to their bases.

I don't like the way the standard seats are so tight that I'm in effect forced to buy the extra leg room. Nor the fact that if I buy extra leg room when booking- this fee is often reduced nearer the departure date if they haven't sold enough of them.

The Vantage scheme is pretty stingy & hardly worth having.

........but I do know they cancel as last resort & when industrial action is going on they will get you there, maybe very late, but the others will just cancel, IMHO.

The pricing can sometime go a bit haywire, so I have some trips MAN-BCN but using KLM & SWISS because both pricing & schedule is more favourable.

IB4138, if you`re feeling let down as a ZB passenger there`s always FR.

MON on Thursday were all present at AGP and ALC during the Spanish strikes! FR cancelled all and EZY cancelled most!..Well in MON

Strangely enough, from what others write, I have never had a problem with Ryanair. I know what to expect and play by the rules. The same goes for Easy and LS.

True, I could never fault the old Crown Service and used it from inception, but today's offering is not even a pale comparison.

As for Iberia, I go way back to the days of the DC10 and A300 on the AGP-LHR route, before the down grading of the route to Viva 737s.

I am also puzzled why MON have never changed their handling agents in Spain and remained with Iberia,given the problems mentioned and other similar ground handling delays over the years.

[quoteMON on Thursday were all present at AGP and ALC during the Spanish strikes! FR cancelled all and EZY cancelled most!..Well in MON ][/quote]

I can't speak for anyone else but theres was not a single cancellation with Easy out of AGP or ALC on Thursday. On a average week, Easy see's 10-20 cancellations with around 8000 scheduled sectors a week. They don't cancel them willy nilly and from experiences I have had as crew and passenger, you get accommodation even if communication isn't always the best at some stations.

To the subject in hand. It's all well and good saying how poor the Brits are treated but it's the Brits that have this incredible thirst for cheap fares to the extent where people believe £150 return to AGP is expensive. Alot of money it maybe but it is still great value. I worked for a carrier that had all the thrills on leisure based routes and business class cabin to boot. People lapped up the "free" booze and meal but rarely did it instill any kind of loyalty. It was price that did that.

FR did not cancel all flights from ALC or AGP on Thursday. If you had exact stats the number of flights that FR canceled across Spain is small compared to the number that operated.

On a Sat the 1376/1377 operates on a W Pattern, MAN-VCE-BHX-VCE-MAN

ZB1376 MAN-VCE
ZB5485 VCE-BHX
ZB5484 BHX-VCE
ZB1377 VCE-MAN

I'm assuming Man crews are transported to/from BHX to operate the 5484/1377 or do BHX crews work them?

Man crew the first two sectors and bhx crew the 3r and 4th rotation.

Thanks Cloudy1, I didn't think they'd do it all, just thought I'd ask somebody in the know, thanks again

I was on the MAN-GIB route yesterday which operates a W pattern (LTN-GIB-MAN-GIB-LTN). The cabin crew told me that they were from MAN and then when they got to LTN they were put on a bus from LTN-MAN.

Sunday's LGW-SSH has just departed 24hours late as per Gatwick website.

Cracked windscreen in ssh

It Cracked on the push back in LGW before they were setting off to SSH.

Deja vu i guess guys, apart this one was from MAN
Holiday families blast Sharm el Sheikh jet u-turn | Manchester Evening News - menmedia.co.uk

Not quite, this time it was the A330 and not a A300.

Indeed but still coincidental ! Any news on ZB's winter base expansion ?