Monarch flights out of Gatwick, Oct 96
 

I'm new to PPruNe so I hope I'm not butting in here. I've been trying to compile a list of all the flights I've been on and whilst this isn't very large I've already run in to a few gaps!

During October 1996 I went on a school trip to Athens, I know that we flew from Gatwick and it was with Monarch. Looking at Airliners.net the only results for Monarch planes at Gatwick seem to be the 757-2T7.

Does anybody happen to know if other Monarch aircraft operated this route or can I safely bet I was on the 757? Also, is there a way to find find old flight numbers/aircraft types/registrations given a date and airport?

Welcome fly high. Might be worthwile also having a look at Spectators Balcony for the last part of your question.
cheers
Airline Mods

Monarch
 

Yes the 752 was the only plane Monarch flew to Gatwich until recently.

www.lhr-lgw.co.uk and check the dates and flight numbers. Logs are 100% coverage and 99% accurate too these days but don't know how far back this goes.

As far types based, they have had 757 and A320s and A300s at Gatwick for years, expanded to include the A321, B767-300 and off course the A330. All these can be seen on a sunny morning at Gatwick. Hope that helps a bit.

A320's did plenty of Athens flights in that year. Mostly at night.

I'm not sure now if it would have been a 757, A320 or some other aircraft. I looked at the LHR-LGW site but unfortunately it doesn't have a record of October 96 at LGW.

I don't suppose there is a Monarch "fan site" or similar that lists routes and aircraft types for a given date?

You suppose right.;)

If the charterer was Manos and it was a Sunday it would have been a 320!

Forgot to say. I flew LGW-ATH Apr 1994 in an A300-600, Fri pm.

Fly-high...would have been a 757-200. There were 2 LGWATH Friday night flights operated at that time and they were both on a 757-200 in the month of October.

Slightly confused, some people are saying 757 and others the Airbus :confused:

If it was the 757 then presumably it was one of seven aircraft (MONB/MONC/MOND/MONE/MONJ/MONK/DAJB) which narrows it down a bit.

The plot thickens. I've been up in the loft and after much searching I have found a letter with a few details on it, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for but I shall see if this means anything to anybody on the Monarch page.

Departure Friday 11th October 1996 (unknown time, but we had to leave the school at 0830hrs sharp and it is at least 400 miles/6.5 hrs travelling time to LGW by road), on-board late-evening meal provided, flight MON1504 LGW-ATH

Arrival (unknown date, 7 or 10 days later) 0715hrs, flight MON1505 ATH-LGW

I'm intrigued now!

Monarch - LGW-ATH - Oct 1996, Aircraft Details Sought
 

During October 1996 I went on a school trip to Athens, I know that we flew from Gatwick and it was with Monarch. Looking at Airliners.net the only results for Monarch planes at Gatwick seem to be the 757-2T7 but is has been suggested that Airbus aircraft also operated out of LGW then.

All the details that I have are:

Departure
Friday 11th October 1996 (unknown time, but we had to leave the school at 0830hrs sharp and it is at least 400 miles/6.5 hrs travelling time to LGW by road), on-board late-evening meal provided, flight MON1504 LGW-ATH

Arrival
(unknown date, 7 or 10 days later) 0715hrs, flight MON1505 ATH-LGW

Does anybody happen to know if other Monarch aircraft operated this route or can I safely bet I was on the 757 at that time? Also, is there a way to find find old registrations given a date and airport?

Any comments welcomed. Many thanks.

Monarch had a range of aircraft at Gatwick by 1996, and any of these could have been operated to Athens. Actually the fleet has not changed a huge amount in the intervening time.

The four A300s still in the Monarch fleet were delivered in 1990-91, and mostly operated out of Gatwick, as they still do.

There were also several A320s, which to the uninitiated can look similar to a 757 (I exclude the regulars on this forum from such a comment :) ). The first A321s did not arrive until the following year.

There were the 757s. Monarch were a pioneer in using these, some of which have been in service with them since 1983.

There were still a few Boeing 737-300s about, Monarch were just withdrawing them to be replaced by the A320s.

fly_high

The MON1504/5 was operated by a 757. On the dates you quote, it was operated by G-MONK.

The A300 operated LGW - ATH on Friday evenings in the summer of 1996 departing Gatwick at about 21.00. That's not to say it was the A300 you flew on though!

The chances are, that as it was a charter flight and the return flight number was only different by 1 from the outbound flight number, then you would have returned 7 days later.

Wow, thanks very much. :ok:

It's all slightly confusing, for example Engine overtemp posted this over on this History and Nostalgia thread:

The A300 operated LGW - ATH on Friday evenings in the summer of 1996 departing Gatwick at about 21.00. That's not to say it was the A300 you flew on though!

The chances are, that as it was a charter flight and the return flight number was only different by 1 from the outbound flight number, then you would have returned 7 days later.

How did you find the info, 10 years on, may I ask?

Thanks for the info Engine overtemp. :cool:

I'm in a bit of a muddle, some folk are saying 757 flew that route. For example, I also posted this in the Monarch thread and im going in reckons

The MON1504/5 was operated by a 757. On the dates you quote, it was operated by G-MONK.

What do you reckon?

fly_high
Just to put you at ease, this is the info that l have found out.
Engine overtemp, may be correct in that the A300 operated Friday night flights in the Summer of 96, but not on the Friday nights you flew.
On the 11th Monarch operated two flights from LGW, G-MONB left 19-28, landed ATH 22-40 and G-MONK left 21-54 and landed 01-01.
On the 19th G-DAJB left 01-49, landed LGW 05-00 and G-MONK left 03-32 landed LGW 07-06.
All times are GMT and l am sorry l don't know the flight numbers, which went with which, but l would say that im going in is spot on.:ok:

Thanks for everybodys advice, much appreciated.