This has really pi**ed me off!
 

Dear Martin

Please note, due to a change in company policy we regret to inform you that as you have pre-booked a meal for your flight with Monarch (with a flight number pre-fixed with ZB), we can no longer provide a complimentary tea or coffee.

This change applies indefinitely for flights from Friday 1st July 2011.

The Monarch team :ugh::ugh::ugh:

They are just following the lead set by Jet2.

Yes you can have coffee with your high priced pre-ordered hot meal but that will be £2.20 please.

At least Monarch bothered to inform you.

The last time my wife and I ordered a meal on Monarch we noticed a substantial falling off of standards. The meal itself is now presented in a cardboard box. The coffee/tea came round before most of us had actually broken into the box. When a number of us asked for the drinks to be brought round later (it was a five hour flight) we were told. "We only do one round of tea or coffee and this is it."

Later in the flight I complained to the senior cabin crew member and she laughed! Needless to say that was the last time we ordered anything on a Monarch flight. We still fly with them occasionally (once a year) because no other airline has a convenient flight/departure time/airport combination. But they get nothing other than the ticket cost now.

As a matter of info, I did complain to Monarch after getting home, the response was full of insincere sounding platitudes, but the message was "like it or lump it" They don't deserve to survive with attitudes like that.

It's the price you and I pay because of the cut-throat competition to provide the cheapest fare - which is what most of the punters want these days. :(

This thread should be kept 'quiet' or other carriers may well follow suit!!

I gave up on preordering meals on shorthaul flights. I found it far cheaper to buy something once airside to carry onboard. For example, a meal deal at Boots in LHR T1 is under £4 and covers sandwich drink and snack. Onboard price of a sarnie on EI is c€5. I predict a growth in food outlets offering takeaway airside.
Y

In the USA low-cost carriers allow you to bring food and drink on board. Not sure if that's the case with European low-cost carriers though.

You certainly can on all low cost flights that I'm aware of.

Monarch have recently announced they would change their model which compete directly with Easyjet and Ryanair and other shceduled carriers. They will have a novel new multi price/customised extras option whch will be interesting to watch.

Monarch unveils scheduled plan and fixed £10 card fee - www.travelweekly.co.uk

I have a simple solution, if you don't like what the locos are doing don't use them. Why do people expect very cheap flights then moan they don't get anything. Sorry just my point of view.

Jarvy
 

No, its not a case of that at all. I believe that if you have pre-ordered a hot meal at a price of £7.99 and paid for it many many months before, it is quite reasonable to expect a hot drink to accompany the meal, providing of course you have not been advised otherwise prior to ordering.

Would you expect the same if you brought a hot meal in a restaurant?

Good point but restaurants don't usually include drinks with a meal and that it is made perfectly clear on the menu. I cannot ever remember not being offered a hot drink with a hot airline meal.

My gripe is not being told that the meal excluded a hot drink. If I had been told up front that the £7.99 meal would actually cost £10.19 with a hot drink, I may have had second thoughts about ordering it in the first place.

Jarvy
 

My grumble is that the change was made AFTER I had booked and paid for the meal. IE the terms under which I booked it have been changed. I have flown Monarch for many years, I know what to expect from lo cost carriers but I do expect the original terms, especially with regards to something as petty as free tea/coffee with a paid for meal, to be honoured, or I am I being too simple?

They are now forgiven!!!
 

You will have received an email from us yesterday regarding a pre-booked meal on your forthcoming Monarch flight. Firstly, we must apologise for the content of the email. This was sent in error and the information it contained was inaccurate.

From 01 July, we have launched an exciting new onboard menu which includes an enhanced meal selection with improved taste and quality. The approach to our food has moved away from traditional airline catering and now reflects a coffee shop/high street style of catering, with menu options appropriate to the departure time of your flight.

Complimentary tea and coffee will continue to be served with your pre-booked meal and we hope that you enjoy our new style of onboard catering.

Once again, please accept our apologies for the error in our previous email and we look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

Kevin George, Managing Director :ok::ok:

Maybe Monarch read PPRuNe!!

Seems obvious that Jet2 don't.

So overpriced, inedible, gunk then. No real change therefore.....;)

MD

only 1 complementary tea/coffee
 

I agree the quality / value for money had gone down on Monarch scheduled flights.

I had a breakfast between LTN andd GIB. Only one tea.......food was in the cardboard box, and not actually good value for money... the second tea / coffee service, whis actually did happen would have been appreciated.

However when we diverted to AGP due WX in GIB, and sat on the apron, the bars were opened, and quite a party atmosphere.
Not certain if ANY food or drink for return sector....

Well done Monarch.............. Q: can I carry on a KFC....

But please do not lower yourselves to the lowest level, but place yourself as a leader not a follower in the LCC, not low quality carriers.


glf

An interesting insight. It reminds why I fly BA.

I guess you get what you pay for.