Monarch Airlines

[JT8]

Are there any Monarch drivers out there willing to shed some light on salary / benefits / company culture etc.??? There isn't much mentioned about Monarch on these pages so any info would be useful.
Also, is anyone aware of low houred pilots being taken on or is the 2500 hrs minimum pretty strict??

Any help appreciated :) :)

[togathrust]

Monarch is a happy airline - hence not much comment to be found. Pay matches the best of the charter airlines. 600-750 hours per year. Pension perhaps the best in the industry. Loyalty and long service is the norm among flightdeck although a number of F/O's are currently in the system for direct entry on the A320 with BA. Could be some recruiting if they are accepted. Low hours pilots have been recruited in the past through CTC (ATP Academy). Hope this helps.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Thank you Monarch Human Resources Dept.
I have heard very much to the contrary !
Pilots doing maximum hours, one weekend in 4 months if you are lucky, and flight and cabin crew leaving in droves. Cannot get xmas or new year confrimed as off duty. The chief pilot changed recently and the chances of having a family life left with him.

[GROUNDSTAR]

I would say that I have worked quite hard this summer, but still don't expect to exceed 650 hrs for the year. I have one flight rostered for the rest of Dec before two days off for Christmas and then two long haul trips until Jan 14. So far this year two f/o's have left, from my fleet, and two more will go next year (hardly what you would call leaving in droves). If you enjoy repetitive scheduled flying to the same old places, then this is probably not the job for you. Like most airlines, people will always want to join BA, it's really about what you make of it.

[This message has been edited by GROUNDSTAR (edited 03 December 2000).]

[Jetdriver]

Captain Mainwaring,

I am not sure where you aquire your "information", but it doesn't relate to my experience at all.

"Pilots doing maximum hours"... Not sure what this means exactly. Maximum hours are 900 per year and 100 per month. I have never done anything like ! In any event the company limit is 90 hours per month (28 days). I have reached that twice in the last 6 years and not at all this year. My total hours for the last 5 years amount to 630 / 660 / 575 / 535 / 640. Hardly maximum hours is it ? I would say my experience is average in the sense that there will be people either side of the median, though I doubt by very much.

"One weekend in 4 months if you are lucky"..... Well it sometimes feels that way, though I must be extremely lucky because upon checking I cannot find one single occaission in the last 15 years where I have not had a weekend off in longer than 10 weeks from the previous one (Saturday and Sunday off). Weekends off tend to be more prevalent in Winter, although that is a personal statistical bias rather than a matter of policy. Sometimes I appear to have had 3 weekends off in a month ( rarely).

"Flight and Cabin crew leaving in droves"...... Really ? I know that a few young F/O's have decided to move on to new pastures ( that is pretty normal in this industry generally). Cabin crew resignations don't seem unusually excessive to me. I have noticed very few "last working dates" shown on the flight report sheets.

"Cannot get Xmas or New year confirmed as Off duty"...... This company and indeed this industry is a 24 hour 365/6 day business. That includes Xmas day and New Years day. It follows that crews are contracted to fly on those days. In a few cases people are happy to volunteer to work these periods, however there is rarely enough volunteers to cover the programme. All crew will have been asked for their preference to work over this period. Some will be on leave ( confirmed) some will be on Days off (confirmed) some will be on standby ( luck of the draw) and some will be working. It is inevitable ( in any airline I imagine) that there will be some people dissapointed with their work cycle over this period, but that is the way of the world.

"The Chief Pilot changed recently and the chances of having a family life left with him.".......... I think you mean there was a change of Chief Pilot recently, however it's an amusing image. My family life hasn,t changed at all ! I have not flown with anybody who has expressed such a view.

I can only speak from personal experience, but that experience does involve a lot of direct communication with other crews. You certainly seem to have "heard" some things that are alien to my experience.

[This message has been edited by Jetdriver (edited 03 December 2000).]
How I wish I could spell properly !

[This message has been edited by Jetdriver (edited 03 December 2000).]

[qwertyuiop]

Capt Mainwaring,

Fine speach sir but you obviously do not work for Monarch.

Points you made;

1. Max hours - Joke. In 3 years at M I have just reached 1500 hours.

2. Weekends - Joke. Ive had plenty free and any I have requested off have been given.

3. X Mas - Joke. I have requested the last 3 christmas days off and have not worked any of them, I also knew 5 weeks before.

4. Chief Pilot/ Family life - Joke. Dont even know what you are talking about.

5. Mass leavers. Dont know any, but Im sure there are a few.

So who do you think you are kidding Capt Mainwaring, back to the home gaurd for you sir.

To all else, as Jetdriver says, its a good company.

[JT8]

Thanks for the replies chaps! Keep them coming...

JT8 :) :)

[Captain Mainwaring]

My source is an F/O who has very recently left in order to avoid the above which have happened to him - maybe not to you, so bully for you. His main priority was to attempt to save his marriage.The comments made were his, so are subject to his interpretation and are as valid as yours.He also commented that the the company is slowly clogging with company men! Of course, that wouldn't be you, would it?

[This message has been edited by Captain Mainwaring (edited 05 December 2000).]

[qwertyuiop]

Capt Mainwaring,

You surprise me with your remarks. Flying and marriage just dont mix very well,although some people seem to cope. Changing airlines will not help your friend I fear.

From BA, through the charter airlines, to the likes of Easy Jet and Ryanair, they are all full of divorced or separated people.
Sounds like he has the wrong wife not the wrong airline.

As for company man, well i have never been called that before. What I have done is worked for 4 different UK airlines and concluded that we at Monarch are fairly well off.

To your friend, I hope the grass really is greener wherer ever he goes.

[Jetdriver]

Oh Dear Capt Mainwaring,

What you mean is your "hearsay" comments are just as valid as our first hand statements. If you say so ?

"The company is slowly clogging with company men".... As opposed to what ? It is in everyones interest to ensure that the business on which they rely is a successful one. I think that that makes us all "Company Men" and "Company women". So yes I would be the the first to put my hand up and say "Guilty as charged" !

It sounds to me as if your "source" has personal problems that he needs to resolve. I don't think he needs to blame the world for those problems, and I doubt he needs your proxy to propogate such drivel !

We have gone to some lengths to state the position as it really exists and the fact you chose to believe otherwise is a matter for you.

[Captain Mainwaring]

qwertyuiop,
I understand and agree with you defending a company in which you are happy. My friend was not happy in Monarch.
Jetdriver,
Thank you for your opinion. Do you speak for the entire company? You appear pompous enough to assume that position.
Everybody knows the meaning of 'company man',
and if the cap fits....

[longarm]

Life in Monarch is very good. You very rarelly hear from Management, the Salary is amongst the highest in the industry and the pension is also amongst the best. Have to agree with other replies about the hours, I've averaged 550hrs a year. Winters can be very quiet with only one or two flights a month for some bases/fleets. Also a good mix of long haul and short haul on most fleets and a wonderful bunch of cabin crew.

[Jetdriver]

Capt Mainwaring,

"Your Friend" is very lucky to have someone such as you to advocate his case.

In reply to your questions....

Your welcome.... No I don't......Thank you......Do they ?.....and yes it does thank you except when it gets wet.

[Bird Strike]

Captain Mainwaring's comments are completely different from what I heard from the people about Monarch... I wonder if he's got Monarch mixed up with some other UK charter companies (what some of my mates said about other UK charter companies match up with what Capt Mainwaring said)? I got the impression that Monarch was a happy bunch!

[MachBuffet]

Conditions for pilots are fine although the company is split between those who simply go to malaga and alicante and those who range further afield. Depends what you want from life, if you are on the short haul fleet it can get kinda dull, never stop away, there back, there back, if you want hours and an easy convivial pattern go for it, if you want a challenge, and some excitement forget