Archive Monarch Airlines from Leeds Bradford Airport

[Jerry]

The ATOL is only required for the holiday side just because that folds doesn't mean the airline side will.

 

[Finger66]

Indeed not but any remaining customer confidence will go. Also likely that supplier and provider confidence will be hit the same way. Thus could be very detrimental to the sustainability of the seat only operation.

 

[Jerry]

Hopefully the airline will come through the weekend and repair the image damage done by the negative press and hopefully someone like Norwegian or Wizz will buy the airline and secure it's future.

 

[Aviador]

Will the airline require an ATOL licence to carry passengers for other IT companies though? We know a number of companies use Monarch.

 

[lbaspotter]

Will the airline require an ATOL licence to carry passengers for other IT companies though? We know a number of companies use Monarch.

No, Thomas Cook Holidays and Thomson Holidays passengers carried by Monarch Airines out of Leeds are classed as seat only passengers. Basically they bulk buy a seat allocation on Monarch's aircraft to sell to the own customers. Those passengers will be coved by Thomas Cook Holidays and Thomson Holidays own ATOL Licences. Worst case scenario for them would be if Monarch went bust, they would have reallocate those passengers onto the own flights into Leeds, possibly send them Into other nearby airports or even rebook them onto other carriers flights, eg Jet2 and Ryanair.

The 5% passengers whom will mainly be effected by the ATOL Licence in question are are those travelling on Monach's own in house tour operator "Monarch Holidays" (ex Cosmos/Avro) .

 

[Finger66]

Not seeing one positive post on here or on prune re the outcome of this. This is looking like an increasingly sad day, though I continue to hope I and others are not ally wrong with A320s still sat on the throne!

 

[Finger66]

LGW to IBZ and BHX to IBZ both with circa 2300 departures have been cancelled. Apparently both flights were boarding at the time. Does this suggest the CAA have pulled the plug?

 

[imagineif]

As at 00:49

Looking like either the CAA or the airline has decided to call it a day.

We had the late BHX/LGW CANX during boarding and 2 Qatar A320's are now positioning to IBZ to return with pax. These flights are operating under a BA flight number so looks like the CAA have arranged for BA to do the repatriation charters and they in turn have subbed the work out to Qatar as they have the capacity to offer right now.

There are a further batch of Qatar A320's all under positioning to the UK as I type this.

The last ZB flight due in from earlier outbound's would be the TLV-MAN at around 3am so an official announcement would probably be after that.

I can not think of any other explanation for any of the above other than the sad fact that Monarch is unfortunately ceasing all operations.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I hope this whole sorry affair is dealt with tonight and everyone can have a bit of certainty one way or another. People seem to be suggesting that there are airlines that might come in to buy them out but, honestly, why would they? It would be much better for everyone else if they go into liquidation and buy up any assets at a rock bottom price rather than buying a going concern that is heavily in debt and has committed millions of pounds it doesn't have towards a new fleet that will require a complete flight deck crew renewal.

Greybull has been a disaster for Monarch who would have been better off closing down last year and not putting their faithful customers through this total mess. At the very least, why on Earth did they not just knock package holidays on the head and provide a bit of certainty to the rest of the operation? All they have done is drag themselves through the mire yet again. They won't recover this time. Ryanair is a massively successful, cash rich business and their nonsense this winter is going to cost them hundreds of millions of pounds. Monarch is neither successful nor cash rich and passengers will irreparably vote with their feet. Yet again, EasyJet must be laughing their heads off.

Interestingly enough, Greybull's Wikipedia page describes them as a 'Turnaround Specialist'. There are no words strong enough to describe how ill-deserved that title is and it is an affront to the many thousands of people who have lost their jobs as a result of this 'specialism'. I'd like to see someone from Greybull front up and take some accountability but history doesn't give me any confidence that will happen.

As for LBA (another entity owned by a capital investment firm that has no interest in financing the future), if Monarch does disappear, it will further expose just how badly the airport has done recently with building and maintaining partnerships with other airlines that would have been a far better addition in the long term. Going for that headline passenger figure has cost LBA long term stability. Yes, there may well be record passenger throughput this year but the cracks the figures have been papering over are getting bigger and bigger. No wonder the previous management jumped when they did.

 

[twevsmiff]

No reprieve for Monarch, at 0400 this morning the airline ceased trading and operations.
There is a fleet of Qatar A.320#s heading to the UK to rescue passengers stranded abroad.

So far most are heading to Manchester/Gatwick/Stansted/Brimingham.

Wonder if we will see any of them coming here.

Early days yet........we will have to wait and see

 

[Aviador]

A very sad day for Monarch airline staff and crews. A very sad day for British aviation.

 

[Finger66]

A very sad day indeed. My thoughts go out to the staff of ZB and sincerely hope they source alternative employment very quickly. I am sure they will. At least the uncertainty is now over but this still doesn't detract from the heartache that exists for many many people.

 

[lbaspotter]

Such a sad day.
Details of Leeds/Bradford inbound repatriation flights through the day operated by Titan Airways and Freebird.

Naples = ZT1277 eta 1425
Dalaman = FH1261 eta 1550
Barcelona = ZT1255 eta 2210
Mahon = ZT7585 eta 2305

 

[Bigman]

I really hoped I was wrong when I said yesterday afternoon that this could be the last time I would see a Monarch land. Such a shame. I really hope that all the local employees get positions with other local based airlines.

 

[oldendays]

I remember when Monarch began using Leeds Bradford in 1982, with their relatively new (1980) 737-200s. They weren't based but operated W patterns, much like Britannia and Air Europe at the time. Now it has come to a sad end. If nothing else, we can look back and say Monarch Airlines ceased trading with two of their aircraft firmly on the deck at Leeds Bradford. It's been a real privilege to see the bright splash of yellow among the red, grey and white and I shall miss having them around.

Such a sad day.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

We were flying out with Monarch in the next 48 hours, sad but no surprise, it seems thankfully measures in place to get everyone home. Rebooked with Ryanair.
Shame the carcus of the airline will now be picked over, staff have been badly let down by inept management.

 

[a300boy]

Bad news for everyone involved and a significant blow to the airport too.

 

[Britannia94]

Such a sad day it is. My first ever flight was with monarch to barcelona. Always a great airline to fly with.

Was reading the CAA page and it listed the parts of the company that have seized trading, but doesn’t list the engineering side, does this mean MAEL will continue?

 

[Jerry]

Yep MAEL will continue.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

The brothers who run Greybull, should have been put in prison when they ran Comet in to the ground. Certainly never fit and proper people to run an airline.
At least it became obvious Monarch would fold a week ago, so people like me with flights booked have had a number of days to formulate a back up plan, it was 6.52am this morning, when I got a text advising my flight cancelled and 9.15am when a CAA email advising me a ATOL claim form on the way, so seems very well planned and even flight only passengers not covered by ATOL are being rescued, hopefully the bill going to Greybull.
Just hope that well known Irish carrier will get me there and back without another issue, I live in hope. Truthfully they have held their prices from a week ago, when I checked today, whereas Jet2 have raised them sky high.