Monarch Airlines

[lbaspotter]

The Monarch Group owned by Graybul Capital today announced that its decided to ditch it's seat only Avro and Somewhere2Stay brands along with its Cosmos Holidays brand. it will also stop selling seats onto third party charter amd low cost airlines flights.
From now on they will all become part of Monarch Holidays brand and they will only sell seats on its own in-house Monarch Airlines scheduled flights from its 5 UK bases at London Luton, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds-Bradford.

http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature. ... id=2018830

 

[Aviador]

With the First Choice and Thomson brands going next year I suppose it makes sense for Monarch to make similar changes at the same time with their Cosmos, Avro and Somewhere2stay brands. Merging the brands under one banner "Monarch" should prove very successful.

 

[lbaspotter]

Monarch have released 80% of there winter 2016/17 programme for sale. Good news LBA still see's flights to Barcelona, Alicante, Faro and Tenerife South. The remaining 20% of the winter 2016/17 programme will be released for sale in January 2016. I would expect to see Malaga included and maybe a brand new destination as well.

Source: http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/m ... elease.pdf

PRESS RELEASE Thursday 19th November 2015

GET A HEAD START, BOOK NOW FOR WINTER 2016/17!

Monarch flights from Leeds Bradford® Airport now on sale (Luton, UK – 19, November 2015) – Monarch today announces the advanced launch of its winter schedule for 2016/17 with flights on sale from Leeds Bradford® Airport. The airline has released over 80% of its winter schedule with further dates to be added in early 2016.

On sale from today are the airline’s most popular winter sun destinations from Leeds Bradford® Airport including Faro, Barcelona, Alicante and Tenerife. In addition Monarch has also placed their city break destination of Barcelona on sale.

Adrian Tighe, Chief Commercial Officer at Monarch, comments:
“We know our customers like time to plan their holidays in advance in order to take advantage of the best fares. We are pleased to be able to release our most popular routes and destinations from Leeds Bradford® Airport and give our customers a head start on planning their winter breaks.”

Tony Hallwood, Leeds Bradford Airport's Aviation Development Director, said:
"We welcome the early launch of Monarch's winter 2016 flying programme and we expect many overseas home owners and holidaymakers will plan ahead and book their flights early to take advantage of flying from locally from Leeds Bradford® Airport."

The Leeds Bradford® Airport winter schedule provides for an increase in the weekly number of Faro frequencies alongside more sociable flight timings on the remaining destinations for customers wanting to enjoy a city or sun break.

For more information or to book flights, please visit www.monarch.co.uk

 

[lbaspotter]

With the school half term holidays not far away from approaching next week will see Monarch increase frequency on some routes as follows.

Thursday 11/02/16
Alicante = Increases from 2x to 3x weekly (MON,THU & SAT)
Faro = Remains operated 2x weekly (THU & SUN)
Friday 12/02/16
Barcelona = Increases from 2x to 3x weekly (MON,FRI & SUN)
Tenerife South = Increases from 2x to 3x weekly = TUE,FRI & SAT)

 

[lbaspotter]

Monarch Airlines are to lease Airbus A320-214, EC-KKT this summer 2016 season from Spanish airline Vueling. It will be put onto the UK registrar as G-ZBAU

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Seems strange that an expanding airline like Vueling has spare aircraft or it could not be used somewhere in the I A G group

 

[jfy1999]

Seems strange that an expanding airline like Vueling has spare aircraft or it could not be used somewhere in the I A G group

...and even stranger that Monarch got rid of G-ZBAA and G-ZBAB while acquiring G-ZBAS and G-ZBAT around the same time, and after that they still need to lease aircraft!

 

[lbaspotter]

Monarch Airlines have confirmed that the new Leeds/Bradford - Malaga route which is been introduced this summer 2016 season will operate year round with 2x flights weekly (Monday & Saturdays) operating throughout winter 2016/17 season.

Here's the official press release from the LBA website: http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/m ... 100316.pdf

So the winter 2016/17 programme for Monarch from Leeds/Bradford is now looking as follows.

Monday
LBA 08:00 - AGP 12:05 / AGP 12:55 - LBA 15:05
Tuesday
LBA 13:55 - ALC 17:45 / ALC 18:35 - LBA 20:35
Wednesday
Non Operational
Thursday
LBA 07:00 - FAO 10:00 / FAO 10:50 - LBA 13:50
LBA 13:55 - ALC 17:45 / ALC 18:35 - LBA 20:35
Friday
LBA 06:15 - TFS 10:55 / TFS 11:45 - LBA 16:05
LBA 17:15 - BCN 20:35 / BCN 21:25 - LBA 23:00
Saturday
LBA 06:15 - AGP 10:20 / AGP 11:10 - LBA 13:20
LBA 14:35 - TFS 19:15 / TFS 20:05 - LBA 00:40*
Sunday
LBA 07:10 - FAO 10:10 / FAO 11:00 - LBA 14:00
LBA 15:10 - BCN 18:30 / BCN 19:20 - LBA 20:55

 

[Aviador]

That's excellent news. Looking at the Monarch winter scheduling for winter 2015/16 there were a few gaps.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

jfy1999:
I am a trained accountant the deal on the aircraft looked like a simple release of working capital.
I understand the two aircraft sold were owned whereas the two new ones are leased.
Increasing working expenditure, but doing wonders for cash flow and profitability, for a new company an essencial deal, unfortunately a one off and were just coming to the end of the first year of the deal, hopefully revenue will replace the one off capital injection of a year ago, plus new owners funds.
All seems well in the LCC aircraft field at the moment, Dart shares hit a new high of 630.5p yesterday, they were 298p a year ago.

 

[White Heather]

It would be nice to think that Monarch might look in the not too distant future at a Lisbon route out of LBA. They are now operating it all year round out of MAN and also operating there from 2 other bases. I know it is on LBA's wish list of routes too.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Lisbon is on my wish list to visit as well, would love a direct flight from LBA to knock this destination off.
There again I would love to fly direct to Seville from LBA instead of via malaga and then train as present and were doing madrid via malaga, would love madrid as a direct.
As IAG are making Madrid their european hub, there has surely with Vueling, B A or Aer Lingus a chance with this group on this route.
I think a direct route to Santander in the north will have to remain in my dreams

 

[lbaspotter]

Tarn Spotter Vueling are not that big of an operator into Madrid. If the airports management were to entice an IAG airline to operate a Leeds-Madird service surely it will have to be Iberia Express whom are on rapid expansion mode at the minute and possibly with an British Airways Codeshare.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

I was going to add Iberia express to the list as we use them often in Spain, its just when you read the local Spanish papers its all about Vueling being the growth vehicle, not I E. and obvious for a Spanish audience how Wille Walsh wants to move ops from LHR to madrid.
Whilst I love the 2 hr 30 minute train journey centre to centre malaga to Madrid would rather do LBA-Lhr then MAD, but the overall journey time crazy at the moment never mind the cost.

 

[tleeds]

I seem to remember seeing somewhere that Monarch have in fact started a Madrid route from either Gatwick or Birmingham..? Could be a possibility with Monarch daring to give routes a try from Leeds; Grenoble, Munich etc.

[offtopic]Couldn't be too much to ask if Ryanair were to start a Madrid route..! I know they too are increasing their presence in the Spanish capital![/offtopic]

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Monarch have started a service from Birmingham but it does not start until June this year and finishes in October and only 3 days a week.

 

[dmrodgers]

I seem to remember seeing somewhere that Monarch have in fact started a Madrid route from either Gatwick or Birmingham..? Could be a possibility with Monarch daring to give routes a try from Leeds; Grenoble, Munich etc.

Munich has been tried before from Leeds by Monarch and was pulled after one season. Assume loadings were insufficient to justify the continuation of the service. I'm sure someone on here could quantify this.

[offtopic]Couldn't be too much to ask if Ryanair were to start a Madrid route..! I know they too are increasing their presence in the Spanish capital![/offtopic]

 

[lbaspotter]

The 2nd summer based Monarch Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft should be positioning into Leeds either tomorrow or Thursday as due to operate a service to Palma on Thursday evening at 16:45.

 

[yorkie40]

The 2nd summer based Monarch Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft should be positioning into Leeds either tomorrow or Thursday as due to operate a service to Palma on Thursday evening at 16:45.

Do you know which one lbaspotter?

 

[lbaspotter]

Do you know which one lbaspotter?

Not a clue at the moment, but I'll ask around to see if I can find out for you.