Monarch Airlines
Encyclopedia
Monarch Airlines, often shortened to and trading as Monarch, is a British
charter and scheduled airline
based at London Luton Airport
in Luton
. It is one of the United Kingdom
's largest charter airlines, operating to Europe
, the United States
, the Caribbean
, India
and Africa
, serving mainly leisure destinations. It also operates scheduled flights to many Mediterranean
destinations, the Canary Islands
, Cyprus
, Egypt
, Greece
and Turkey
.
The airline's main base and headquarters is at Luton Airport
with other operational bases at Manchester, Gatwick and Birmingham. Manchester is Monarch's primary scheduled and largest base while Gatwick is its main charter base.It is the oldest UK
airline that has not changed its original name. Its workforce numbers around 2,070.
Monarch Airlines carried around 5.8 million passengers during 2010.
In June 2010, the airline was ranked 58th in the Sunday Times Top Track 100
listing the biggest privately held
as opposed to publicly traded
British companies in terms of their sales. The company holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.
director
s Bill Hodgson and Don Peacock with financial backing from the Swiss
Albek and Mantegazza families, as a subsidiary of Globus Gateway Holdings. At the time of Monarch's inception, the Albek and Mantegazza families were the owners of UK-based tour operator
Cosmos Tours (now Cosmos Holidays).
Monarch began commercial airline operations on 5 April 1968 with a charter flight from Luton
to Madrid
using a former Caledonian Airways
Bristol 175 Britannia
300 turboprop
. The airline's initial fleet comprised two Bristol Britannia
s (both ex-Caledonian
).
The airline acquired additional Britannia
s from the British Eagle
administrator
s in 1969, its second year of operation. This was the first time the company carried 250,000 passengers within a 12-month period utilising a fleet of six Britannias.
in 1971 when three Boeing 720
Bs, which it had acquired second-hand from Northwest Airlines
for US$
1m
each, joined its fleet. The airline's first commercial jet
service took to the air on 13 December 1971. The introduction of the company's first jet aircraft type also coincided with the adoption of a revised livery
.
In 1972, the firm carried 500,000 passengers in one year for the first time.
By 1976, Monarch had transitioned to an all-jet fleet following the sale of the airline's last Britannia to Greek
cargo charter airline Afrek on 21 May of that year.the same aircraft was re-purchased in 1984 and, subsequent to its overhaul
at Luton, sold on to Cuba
n operator Aero Caribbean
(This event had been preceded two years earlier by the retirement of the airline's last passenger-configured Britannia, the only remaining example of its kind in UK commercial airline service which operated the type's final commercial passenger flight in Europe on 9 October 1974.) The changeover to an all-jet fleet was brought about as a result of the acquisition of a further two second-hand Boeing 720Bs as well as the addition of a pair of BAC One-Eleven
500s, which had been sourced from British Caledonian
and the administrators of the failed Court Line
respectively.
In 1979, Alan Snudden, CBE
, took over as Monarch Airlines' managing director, having joined Monarch from Dan-Air
, where he had held the same position.
Under Alan Snudden's stewardship, Monarch Airlines acquired its first new aircraft and eventually transitioned to an all-new jet fleet.
-200 Advanced, which had been acquired on an operating lease from Bavaria Leasing (at the time a unit of Hapag Lloyd Airlines). One of the newly delivered 737s was stationed at Tegel Airport
in what used to be West Berlin
in the days before Germany
's reunification
at the beginning of the 1981 summer season. The Berlin
-based aircraft operated short to medium-haul charter flights to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands under contract to Flug-Union Berlin, at the time one of West Berlin's leading package tour operators. Monarch had taken over Flug-Union Berlin's charter programme from Laker Airways
. The addition of the new 737
s expanded Monarch's fleet to 11 jet aircraft, comprising one Boeing 707
-320C, five Boeing 720Bs, three BAC One-Eleven 500s and two Boeing 737-200 Advs.
In 1981, new stations were opened at Gatwick, Glasgow
, Manchester and Berlin Tegel. This was the first time Monarch Airlines carried a million passengers in a single year. 1981 was also the year Monarch became the first charter airline to order the Boeing 757
-200, a high-capacity, medium-haul single-aisle
plane powered by Rolls-Royce RB211
-535C engines. Monarch's 757
order represented a major step change for a small airline. Its first 757 was delivered and entered service in the spring of 1983. This coincided with the introduction of an updated livery, the third in the airline's history.
In spring 1985, the CAA awarded Monarch Airlines licences to begin scheduled services to Málaga
, Minorca
and Tenerife
. This enabled the airline to launch its first-ever scheduled service from Luton to Minorca on 5 July 1986, under the brand name Monarch Crown Service.
1986 saw the acquisition of Monarch's first Boeing 737
-300 aircraft. From November 1988, four of Monarch's 737-300s were leased out to Euroberlin France
, a Berlin Tegel based Franco-German joint venture
airline that was 51% owned by Air France
and 49% by Lufthansa
. Apart from the aircraft itself, Monarch Airlines also provided the flightdeck crew and maintenance support (through sister company Monarch Aircraft Engineering) for this airline. By 1990, seven 737-300s were assigned to the Euroberlin wet lease
.
1988 was the first time Monarch Airlines carried more than two million passengers in a year.
In 1990, Monarch Airlines introduced the Airbus A300
-600R, its first widebodied aircraft type, and opened a new purpose-built headquarters that also housed the airline's own Boeing 757 flight simulator
at its Luton base.
During the early 1990s, Monarch Airlines operated several Boeing 767
-300ER widebodies on behalf of Alitalia Team
, a unit of Italy
's flag carrier
, under a wet lease arrangement similar to the one Monarch had with Euroberlin France.
In 1993, Monarch Airlines introduced the first Airbus A320
aircraft into its fleet. (The first of the larger Airbus A321
s joined Monarch's fleet in 1997.) Airbus A320 family
aircraft eventually replaced the airline's Boeing 737-300s.
In 1998, Monarch Airlines leased two McDonnell Douglas MD-11
widebodied aircraft from World Airways
for its long-haul operations whilst awaiting the delivery of a pair of new Airbus A330
-200 widebodies. Following the A330
s arrival in 1999, Monarch returned the MD-11
s to World Airways. The new A330 widebodies permitted Monarch to serve long-haul charter destinations with a two-class seating configuration, another first for the airline.
(a series 30 aircraft) was retired from service in 2002 and the aircraft's front section donated to Manchester Airport Aviation Viewing Park. In 2002, Monarch also unveiled a brand-new livery — the airline's fourth. Also, the company re-branded its Monarch Crown Service scheduled division as Monarch Scheduled. Monarch Scheduled continued to offer a full service product, including free catering, bar service, hot towels, newspapers and in-flight entertainment
(IFE). (Currently, IFE is only available on flights over four hours.)
In 2003, Monarch Scheduled announced that it would open a new base at Gatwick Airport. The base opened on 1 May 2003 with services to Alicante
, Faro
and Málaga
.
In 2004, following the success of the low-fares, no frills
airlines such as EasyJet
, Monarch adopted a modified low-cost
model featuring additional charges for food and drink as well as seat selection and in-flight entertainment. In November 2007, Monarch introduced charges for passengers with hold baggage, in line with other low-cost airlines
.
In 2005, Monarch leased a Boeing 767-300ER from MyTravel Airways
(now Thomas Cook Airlines
) to expand its long-haul fleet. The aircraft was returned in 2010.
In November 2005, Monarch opened a base in Málaga
. The airline based one Airbus A320 aircraft there. Monarch launched three scheduled services from Málaga, to Aberdeen
(four per week), Blackpool (daily) and Newquay
(three per week). The Newquay service was discontinued on 30 April 2006 along with Blackpool services reducing to four per week. About a year later, scheduled services from Málaga to Blackpool were also dropped due to low passenger numbers. On 27 October 2007, flights to Aberdeen were withdrawn as well due to poor patronage. This resulted in closure of Monarch's Málaga base.
On 15 December 2004, Monarch Scheduled announced that it would open a new base at Birmingham Airport. The base opened in April 2005 with new routes to Málaga and Tenerife.
To operate scheduled services from Manchester, a second-hand Airbus A321 was acquired. Monarch became the airport's second-largest passenger airline in 2005 with 1.72m passengers using its services from/to the airport. Monarch's total passenger numbers increased from 4.55m in 2002 to 6.5m in 2008.
In August 2006, Monarch ordered six Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner widebodied jets, primarily for use on long-haul routes. Delivery was planned to start in 2010; however, delays to the 787 project pushed back delivery to 2013, and in September 2011, the airline cancelled the order citing its strategic
decision to concentrate on short-/medium-haul operations.
In 2008, Monarch changed the name of its website from flymonarch.com to monarch.co.uk. It also changed its advertising slogan to The Low Fare Airline That Cares.
that saw Monarch Airlines changing its focus from being primarily a charter carrier to becoming a predominantly "scheduled leisure airline", with a target of 80% of its business being scheduled (compared with only 20% in 2005). The new strategy has already resulted in introduction of additional scheduled services to new destinations in Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Spain
and Portugal
, including the launch on 23 May 2011 of a three times weekly scheduled service to the Greek island of Corfu
— the airline's first scheduled Greek destination — from London Luton
. France
and Italy are expected to join Monarch's scheduled network in 2012.
To increase Monarch's attractiveness as a viable alternative to EasyJet and Ryanair
, its much bigger, main low-cost competitors, all debit card
charges were abolished and only a £10 flat rate is applied to credit card
transactions. To highlight these differences as additional selling points, Monarch has introduced the advertising slogan Fly Your Way. Every Day together with a new logo incorporating the airline's old capital "M" and crown.
Although Monarch managed to make a small £1.4m profit in 2010, it reported another huge £45m loss in the financial year ending 31 October 2011 as a result of high jet fuel
prices against the backdrop of a stagnant economy and political turmoil in the Middle East
and North Africa
. Higher fuel prices increased the airline's annual fuel bill by £50m while lower bookings to destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean
and North Africa as a consequence of the Arab Spring
reduced projected earnings by £25m. This reversal of fortunes necessitated a second, £75m cash injection from its owners.
Monarch's revised business plan
envisages a small loss in the financial year ending in 2012 and a return to profitability in 2013.
In a related announcement made on 31 October 2011, Monarch confirmed the closure of its charter base at Dublin Airport
.
Following official confirmation of the £75m rescue package for the airline on 3 November 2011, chairman Iain Rawlinson announced a major expansion of the airline's scheduled operation that will see the launch of 14 additional routes serving new destinations in Italy, Croatia
and Greece from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham and Manchester. Flights will commence at the start of the 2012 summer season. This will bring the total number of scheduled routes Monarch will serve during that period to 73. Two Airbus A320 aircraft will join Monarch's fleet in time for summer 2012 to support the increased level of activity. The addition of these aircraft also marks the first stage of a medium-term plan to increase the fleet size to 40 aircraft in support of the airline's goal to carry 10m passengers annually by the time the final stage has been fully implemented. Growing the fleet to enable an increase in annual passenger numbers will allow the airline to spread its fixed cost
s over a higher level of output
, thus resulting in greater economies of scale
.
of Monarch Holdings, which in turn is 100%-owned by the Globus Travel Group. As of mid-2010, Globus Travel's shareholders included
programme
called CelebAir. Celebrities were trained and took on duties performed by airline staff, such as cabin crew. The destinations to which CelebAir flew were mainly Monarch's scheduled destinations, including Málaga, Alicante, Tenerife, Faro, Ibiza
, Mahon
and Larnaca
. These flights carried fare-paying customers. The programme first aired on 2 September 2008. The programme has now finished with Lisa Maffia
winning the series, Amy Lamé
finishing second and Chico Slimani
finishing third.
FlyKandi titles and a special tail motif. The HedKandi partnership lasted for the 2007 summer season, with flights to Ibiza being sold from four major UK airports. It was then renewed for the 2008 summer season, offering the same services. HedKandi CD
s and radio station
s were available for purchase and to listen to on board Monarch aircraft. Hedkandi did not renew their partnership contract for the 2009 summer season.
Monarch Historical Fleet
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charter and scheduled airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based at London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
. It is one of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's largest charter airlines, operating to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, serving mainly leisure destinations. It also operates scheduled flights to many Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
destinations, the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
The airline's main base and headquarters is at Luton Airport
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
with other operational bases at Manchester, Gatwick and Birmingham. Manchester is Monarch's primary scheduled and largest base while Gatwick is its main charter base.It is the oldest UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airline that has not changed its original name. Its workforce numbers around 2,070.
Monarch Airlines carried around 5.8 million passengers during 2010.
In June 2010, the airline was ranked 58th in the Sunday Times Top Track 100
Top Track 100
The Top Track 100 is a list published by British newspaper The Sunday Times each year ranking Britain's top 100 private companies by their turnover over the previous year, from published accounts....
listing the biggest privately held
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
as opposed to publicly traded
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
British companies in terms of their sales. The company holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.
History
The 1960s
Monarch Airlines was formed on 5 June 1967 by former British Eagle International AirlinesBritish Eagle
British Eagle International Airlines was a major British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline that operated from 1948 to 1968....
director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
s Bill Hodgson and Don Peacock with financial backing from the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Albek and Mantegazza families, as a subsidiary of Globus Gateway Holdings. At the time of Monarch's inception, the Albek and Mantegazza families were the owners of UK-based tour operator
Tour operator
A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...
Cosmos Tours (now Cosmos Holidays).
Monarch began commercial airline operations on 5 April 1968 with a charter flight from Luton
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
using a former Caledonian Airways
Caledonian Airways
Caledonian Airways was a wholly private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations Scottish charter airline formed in April 1961. It began with a single Douglas DC-7C leased from Sabena. Caledonian grew rapidly over the coming years to become the leading transatlantic "affinity...
Bristol 175 Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
300 turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
. The airline's initial fleet comprised two Bristol Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
s (both ex-Caledonian
Caledonian Airways
Caledonian Airways was a wholly private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations Scottish charter airline formed in April 1961. It began with a single Douglas DC-7C leased from Sabena. Caledonian grew rapidly over the coming years to become the leading transatlantic "affinity...
).
The airline acquired additional Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
s from the British Eagle
British Eagle
British Eagle International Airlines was a major British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline that operated from 1948 to 1968....
administrator
Administration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
s in 1969, its second year of operation. This was the first time the company carried 250,000 passengers within a 12-month period utilising a fleet of six Britannias.
The 1970s
Monarch entered the jet ageJet age
The Jet Age is a period of history defined by the social change brought about by the advent of large aircraft powered by turbine engines. These aircraft are able to fly much higher, faster, and farther than older piston-powered propliners, making transcontinental and inter-continental travel...
in 1971 when three Boeing 720
Boeing 720
The Boeing 720 is a four-engine narrow-body short- to medium-range passenger jet airliner. Developed by Boeing in the late 1950s from the Boeing 707, the 720 has a shorter fuselage and less range...
Bs, which it had acquired second-hand from Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1m
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
each, joined its fleet. The airline's first commercial jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
service took to the air on 13 December 1971. The introduction of the company's first jet aircraft type also coincided with the adoption of a revised livery
Aircraft livery
Aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for...
.
In 1972, the firm carried 500,000 passengers in one year for the first time.
By 1976, Monarch had transitioned to an all-jet fleet following the sale of the airline's last Britannia to Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
cargo charter airline Afrek on 21 May of that year.the same aircraft was re-purchased in 1984 and, subsequent to its overhaul
Aircraft maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...
at Luton, sold on to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n operator Aero Caribbean
Aero Caribbean
Aero Caribbean is an airline based in Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba. It operates scheduled domestic passenger services to four domestic destinations and international services, as well as charter flights mainly within the Caribbean and South America...
(This event had been preceded two years earlier by the retirement of the airline's last passenger-configured Britannia, the only remaining example of its kind in UK commercial airline service which operated the type's final commercial passenger flight in Europe on 9 October 1974.) The changeover to an all-jet fleet was brought about as a result of the acquisition of a further two second-hand Boeing 720Bs as well as the addition of a pair of BAC One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
500s, which had been sourced from British Caledonian
British Caledonian
British Caledonian was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline, operating out of Gatwick Airport in the 1970s and 1980s...
and the administrators of the failed Court Line
Court Line
Court Line was a prominent British holiday charter airline during the early 1970s based at Luton Airport in Bedfordshire. It also provided bus services in Luton and surrounding areas....
respectively.
In 1979, Alan Snudden, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, took over as Monarch Airlines' managing director, having joined Monarch from Dan-Air
Dan-Air
Dan-Air was a leading private, independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline based in the United Kingdom....
, where he had held the same position.
Under Alan Snudden's stewardship, Monarch Airlines acquired its first new aircraft and eventually transitioned to an all-new jet fleet.
The 1980s
At the end of 1980, Monarch Airlines took delivery of its first new jet aircraft, a pair of Boeing 737Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
-200 Advanced, which had been acquired on an operating lease from Bavaria Leasing (at the time a unit of Hapag Lloyd Airlines). One of the newly delivered 737s was stationed at Tegel Airport
Berlin-Tegel International Airport
Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport is the main international airport in Berlin, Germany. It lies in Tegel, a section of the northern borough of Reinickendorf, northwest of the city centre of Berlin. Tegel Airport is notable for its hexagonal terminal building around an open square, which...
in what used to be West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
in the days before Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
at the beginning of the 1981 summer season. The Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-based aircraft operated short to medium-haul charter flights to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands under contract to Flug-Union Berlin, at the time one of West Berlin's leading package tour operators. Monarch had taken over Flug-Union Berlin's charter programme from Laker Airways
Laker Airways
Laker Airways was a wholly private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline founded by Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. It originally was a charter airline flying passengers and cargo worldwide...
. The addition of the new 737
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
s expanded Monarch's fleet to 11 jet aircraft, comprising one Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
-320C, five Boeing 720Bs, three BAC One-Eleven 500s and two Boeing 737-200 Advs.
In 1981, new stations were opened at Gatwick, Glasgow
Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
, Manchester and Berlin Tegel. This was the first time Monarch Airlines carried a million passengers in a single year. 1981 was also the year Monarch became the first charter airline to order the Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
-200, a high-capacity, medium-haul single-aisle
Narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres , and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle...
plane powered by Rolls-Royce RB211
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce plc and capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pounds-force thrust. Originally developed for the Lockheed L-1011 , it entered service in 1972 and was the only engine to power this aircraft type...
-535C engines. Monarch's 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
order represented a major step change for a small airline. Its first 757 was delivered and entered service in the spring of 1983. This coincided with the introduction of an updated livery, the third in the airline's history.
In spring 1985, the CAA awarded Monarch Airlines licences to begin scheduled services to Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
and Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
. This enabled the airline to launch its first-ever scheduled service from Luton to Minorca on 5 July 1986, under the brand name Monarch Crown Service.
1986 saw the acquisition of Monarch's first Boeing 737
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
-300 aircraft. From November 1988, four of Monarch's 737-300s were leased out to Euroberlin France
Euroberlin France
Euroberlin France was a Franco-German joint venture airline founded in 1988. It was jointly owned by Air France and Lufthansa, with the former holding a 51% stake and the latter the remaining 49%...
, a Berlin Tegel based Franco-German joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
airline that was 51% owned by Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
and 49% by Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
. Apart from the aircraft itself, Monarch Airlines also provided the flightdeck crew and maintenance support (through sister company Monarch Aircraft Engineering) for this airline. By 1990, seven 737-300s were assigned to the Euroberlin wet lease
Wet lease
Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
.
1988 was the first time Monarch Airlines carried more than two million passengers in a year.
The 1990s
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
-600R, its first widebodied aircraft type, and opened a new purpose-built headquarters that also housed the airline's own Boeing 757 flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
at its Luton base.
During the early 1990s, Monarch Airlines operated several Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
-300ER widebodies on behalf of Alitalia Team
Alitalia
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
, a unit of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
, under a wet lease arrangement similar to the one Monarch had with Euroberlin France.
In 1993, Monarch Airlines introduced the first Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft into its fleet. (The first of the larger Airbus A321
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
s joined Monarch's fleet in 1997.) Airbus A320 family
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft eventually replaced the airline's Boeing 737-300s.
In 1998, Monarch Airlines leased two McDonnell Douglas MD-11
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
widebodied aircraft from World Airways
World Airways
World Airways, Inc. is an American airline headquartered at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia. For the most part, the company operates non-scheduled services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport.-History:...
for its long-haul operations whilst awaiting the delivery of a pair of new Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
-200 widebodies. Following the A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
s arrival in 1999, Monarch returned the MD-11
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
s to World Airways. The new A330 widebodies permitted Monarch to serve long-haul charter destinations with a two-class seating configuration, another first for the airline.
The 2000s
Monarch's sole McDonnell Douglas DC-10McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
(a series 30 aircraft) was retired from service in 2002 and the aircraft's front section donated to Manchester Airport Aviation Viewing Park. In 2002, Monarch also unveiled a brand-new livery — the airline's fourth. Also, the company re-branded its Monarch Crown Service scheduled division as Monarch Scheduled. Monarch Scheduled continued to offer a full service product, including free catering, bar service, hot towels, newspapers and in-flight entertainment
In-flight Entertainment
In-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
(IFE). (Currently, IFE is only available on flights over four hours.)
In 2003, Monarch Scheduled announced that it would open a new base at Gatwick Airport. The base opened on 1 May 2003 with services to Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
and Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
.
In 2004, following the success of the low-fares, no frills
No frills
No-frills or no frills is a term used to describe any service or product for which the non-essential features have been removed to keep the price low. The use of the term "frills" refers to a style of fabric decoration...
airlines such as EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
, Monarch adopted a modified low-cost
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
model featuring additional charges for food and drink as well as seat selection and in-flight entertainment. In November 2007, Monarch introduced charges for passengers with hold baggage, in line with other low-cost airlines
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
.
In 2005, Monarch leased a Boeing 767-300ER from MyTravel Airways
MyTravel Airways
MyTravel Airways was a United Kingdom scheduled and charter airline with headquarters in Manchester, England. It operated worldwide holiday charter services mainly for its parent company, the MyTravel Group....
(now Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines is a British charter airline based in Manchester, England. It serves main holiday resorts worldwide, from its main bases at Manchester and Gatwick.The airline also operates services from nine other bases in the United Kingdom....
) to expand its long-haul fleet. The aircraft was returned in 2010.
In November 2005, Monarch opened a base in Málaga
Málaga Airport
Málaga Airport , also known as Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is an important airport for Spanish tourism as it is the main international airport serving the Costa Del Sol....
. The airline based one Airbus A320 aircraft there. Monarch launched three scheduled services from Málaga, to Aberdeen
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
(four per week), Blackpool (daily) and Newquay
Newquay Cornwall International Airport
-See also:*Newquay Cornwall Airport Fire and Rescue Service-External links:*...
(three per week). The Newquay service was discontinued on 30 April 2006 along with Blackpool services reducing to four per week. About a year later, scheduled services from Málaga to Blackpool were also dropped due to low passenger numbers. On 27 October 2007, flights to Aberdeen were withdrawn as well due to poor patronage. This resulted in closure of Monarch's Málaga base.
On 15 December 2004, Monarch Scheduled announced that it would open a new base at Birmingham Airport. The base opened in April 2005 with new routes to Málaga and Tenerife.
To operate scheduled services from Manchester, a second-hand Airbus A321 was acquired. Monarch became the airport's second-largest passenger airline in 2005 with 1.72m passengers using its services from/to the airport. Monarch's total passenger numbers increased from 4.55m in 2002 to 6.5m in 2008.
In August 2006, Monarch ordered six Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner widebodied jets, primarily for use on long-haul routes. Delivery was planned to start in 2010; however, delays to the 787 project pushed back delivery to 2013, and in September 2011, the airline cancelled the order citing its strategic
Strategic management
Strategic management is a field that deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments...
decision to concentrate on short-/medium-haul operations.
In 2008, Monarch changed the name of its website from flymonarch.com to monarch.co.uk. It also changed its advertising slogan to The Low Fare Airline That Cares.
2010 onwards
After many years of operating profitably, Monarch Group, the parent company of Monarch Airlines and Cosmos Holidays, reported a large pre-tax loss of £32.3m in the financial year ending in 2009, which covered the depths of the recession in 2008. This necessitated a £45m cash injection from the Mantegazzas who have [co-]owned the group since its inception. The Mantegazza's cash injection was accompanied by a change in strategyStrategic management
Strategic management is a field that deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments...
that saw Monarch Airlines changing its focus from being primarily a charter carrier to becoming a predominantly "scheduled leisure airline", with a target of 80% of its business being scheduled (compared with only 20% in 2005). The new strategy has already resulted in introduction of additional scheduled services to new destinations in Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, including the launch on 23 May 2011 of a three times weekly scheduled service to the Greek island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
— the airline's first scheduled Greek destination — from London Luton
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy are expected to join Monarch's scheduled network in 2012.
To increase Monarch's attractiveness as a viable alternative to EasyJet and Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
, its much bigger, main low-cost competitors, all debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
charges were abolished and only a £10 flat rate is applied to credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
transactions. To highlight these differences as additional selling points, Monarch has introduced the advertising slogan Fly Your Way. Every Day together with a new logo incorporating the airline's old capital "M" and crown.
Although Monarch managed to make a small £1.4m profit in 2010, it reported another huge £45m loss in the financial year ending 31 October 2011 as a result of high jet fuel
Jet fuel
Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is clear to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1 which are produced to a standardized international specification...
prices against the backdrop of a stagnant economy and political turmoil in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Higher fuel prices increased the airline's annual fuel bill by £50m while lower bookings to destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean
Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean is a term that denotes the countries geographically to the east of the Mediterranean Sea. This region is also known as Greater Syria or the Levant....
and North Africa as a consequence of the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
reduced projected earnings by £25m. This reversal of fortunes necessitated a second, £75m cash injection from its owners.
Monarch's revised business plan
Business plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
envisages a small loss in the financial year ending in 2012 and a return to profitability in 2013.
In a related announcement made on 31 October 2011, Monarch confirmed the closure of its charter base at Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
.
Following official confirmation of the £75m rescue package for the airline on 3 November 2011, chairman Iain Rawlinson announced a major expansion of the airline's scheduled operation that will see the launch of 14 additional routes serving new destinations in Italy, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Greece from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham and Manchester. Flights will commence at the start of the 2012 summer season. This will bring the total number of scheduled routes Monarch will serve during that period to 73. Two Airbus A320 aircraft will join Monarch's fleet in time for summer 2012 to support the increased level of activity. The addition of these aircraft also marks the first stage of a medium-term plan to increase the fleet size to 40 aircraft in support of the airline's goal to carry 10m passengers annually by the time the final stage has been fully implemented. Growing the fleet to enable an increase in annual passenger numbers will allow the airline to spread its fixed cost
Fixed cost
In economics, fixed costs are business expenses that are not dependent on the level of goods or services produced by the business. They tend to be time-related, such as salaries or rents being paid per month, and are often referred to as overhead costs...
s over a higher level of output
Output (economics)
Output in economics is the "quantity of goods or services produced in a given time period, by a firm, industry, or country," whether consumed or used for further production.The concept of national output is absolutely essential in the field of macroeconomics...
, thus resulting in greater economies of scale
Economies of scale
Economies of scale, in microeconomics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. There are factors that cause a producer’s average cost per unit to fall as the scale of output is increased. "Economies of scale" is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit...
.
Ownership
Monarch Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiarySubsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Monarch Holdings, which in turn is 100%-owned by the Globus Travel Group. As of mid-2010, Globus Travel's shareholders included
- Amerald Investments (88%)
- Atlantic Financial Services (7%)
- Abaco Holdings (4%).
CelebAir (2008)
Monarch Airlines provided the aircraft, an Airbus A321, to launch a new ITV2ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
programme
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
called CelebAir. Celebrities were trained and took on duties performed by airline staff, such as cabin crew. The destinations to which CelebAir flew were mainly Monarch's scheduled destinations, including Málaga, Alicante, Tenerife, Faro, Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
, Mahon
Mahon
Mahón is a municipality and the capital city of the Balearic Island of Minorca , located in the eastern part of the island. Mahon has the second deepest natural harbor in the world: 5 km long and up to 900m. wide...
and Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
. These flights carried fare-paying customers. The programme first aired on 2 September 2008. The programme has now finished with Lisa Maffia
Lisa Maffia
Lisa Finch Maffia is a platinum selling English singer-songwriter, musician, fashion designer, model and presenter, who originally came to the public's attention as the main female member of So Solid Crew...
winning the series, Amy Lamé
Amy Lamé
Amy Lamé is an American-born, British performer, writer, television and radio presenter and producer.-Biography:Lamé was born Amy Caddle and raised in Keyport, New Jersey. She attended Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and moved to London in 1992...
finishing second and Chico Slimani
Chico Slimani
Yousseph "Chico" Slimani is a Welsh born singer of Moroccan descent who rose to prominence in the United Kingdom after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2005 series of the talent show The X Factor. In 2006, he had a number 1 hit on the British charts entitled "It's Chico Time"...
finishing third.
Hedkandi (2007 and 2008)
On 27 April 2007, Monarch Airlines started flights to Ibiza partnered with club brand HedKandi, naming the partnership "FlyKandi". One of Monarch's Boeing 757s received a special FlyKandi livery with billboardBillboard (advertising)
A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure , typically found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers...
FlyKandi titles and a special tail motif. The HedKandi partnership lasted for the 2007 summer season, with flights to Ibiza being sold from four major UK airports. It was then renewed for the 2008 summer season, offering the same services. HedKandi CD
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
s and radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s were available for purchase and to listen to on board Monarch aircraft. Hedkandi did not renew their partnership contract for the 2009 summer season.
Fleet
Current fleet
The Monarch fleet consists of the following aircraft as of November 2011:| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Average age (years) | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A300-600R Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
4 | 0 | 352 | 352 | 21.3 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 5 | 0 | 174 | 174 | 16.0 | 2 additional aircraft to be delivered March 2012 |
| Airbus A321-200 | 16 | 0 | 214 | 214 | 9.7 | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 51 | 323 | 374 | 12.7 | 1 leased to Garuda Indonesia Garuda Indonesia PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk , publicly known as Garuda Indonesia, is the flag carrier of Indonesia. It is named after the mystical giant bird Garuda of Hinduism and Buddhist mythology. It is headquartered at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, near Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia... |
| Boeing 757-200 | 3 | 0 | 229 | 229 | 23.9 | |
| Total | 30 | 14.8 | ||||
Historical fleet
Monarch used to operate the following aircraft:Monarch Historical Fleet
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
Statistics
Monarch Airlines carried nearly 5.8 m passengers during 2010; 3.7 m on scheduled flights and 2.1 m on charter flights.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In-flight services
- Monarch offers pre-bookable meals at an extra charge, this is a recent move away from being able to buy your meals once you are onboard the aircraft. Alternatively, Monarch provides a buy on boardBuy on boardIn commercial flight, buy on board is a system where food or beverages are paid for on board; often food or beverages are not included in the ticket price for certain fare classes....
programme offering food for purchase on board the aircraft. - During the flight there is the option to buy products such as fragrances on board the aircraft.
- There is a monthly in-flight magazine including a travel guide, a map of Monarch's destinations, snacks on board and the shopping available to buy.
- In-flight entertainment (IFE) is available on all long-haul flights, showing either television programmes or films. There is also a limited IFE selection on medium-haul flights.
- Premium upgrades are predominantly available on long haul routes, which include more legroom and seatback entertainmentIn-flight EntertainmentIn-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
. - Monarch is preparing to be the first British carrier to offer wireless internet access onboard its aircraft.
Awards
- FlightOnTime.info Most Improved UK Charter Airline for Punctuality – Summer 2007
- Travel Trade GazetteTravel Trade GazetteTravel Trade Gazette is a weekly newspaper for the travel industry.TTG, as it is widely known, was launched in 1953 and claims to be the world's oldest travel trade newspaper. It features news, destination reports and careers advice for the travel and tourism industries...
Airline of the Year – Leisure 2006 and 2007 - TravelWeekly Globe Travel Awards – Best Charter Airline 2009, 2010 and 2011
- World's greenest airline ITB Berlin travel show – The number 1 greenest airline 2011
Accidents and Incidents
- On 22 May 2002, a Boeing 757-200 (Registration G-MONC) suffered structural damage to the forward fuselageFuselageThe fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
in the area of the nose landing gearLanding GearLanding Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
during landing at GibraltarGibraltar AirportGibraltar Airport or North Front Airport is the civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence for use by the Royal Air Force as RAF Gibraltar. Civilian operators use the airport; currently the only scheduled flights operate to the...
while operating a flight from Luton. The captainPilot in commandThe pilot in command of an aircraft is the person aboard the aircraft who is ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight. This would be the "captain" in a typical two- or three-pilot flight crew, or "pilot" if there is only one certified and qualified pilot at the controls of...
had used an incorrect landing technique, applying full nose-down elevatorStabilizer (aircraft)In aviation, a stabilizer provides stability when the aircraft is flying straight, and the airfoil of the horizontal stabilizer balances the forces acting on the aircraft....
. This control input resulted in a high pitch-down rate at nosewheelUndercarriageThe undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
touchdown, in exceedance of the design limits, before the aircraft's nosewheel had touched the ground. No fatalities occurred.
- On 17 March 2006, the flightdeck crew of a Boeing 757-200 (Registration G-MONE) lost visual contact with the runwayRunwayAccording to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
after passing the Visual Decision PointInstrument approachFor aircraft operating under instrument flight rules , an instrument approach or instrument approach procedure is a series of predetermined maneuvers for the orderly transfer of an aircraft under instrument flight conditions from the beginning of the initial approach to a landing, or to a point...
(VDP) while attempting to land at Gibraltar Airport. During the subsequent go-aroundGo-aroundA go-around is an aborted landing of an aircraft that is on final approach.- Origin of the term :The term arises from the traditional use of traffic patterns at airfields. A landing aircraft will first join the circuit pattern and prepare for landing in an orderly fashion...
, the crew did not follow the correct missed approachMissed approachMissed approach is an instrument flight rules procedure which is a standard component segment of an instrument approach. Generally, if the pilot flying or the pilot in command determines by the time the aircraft is at the decision height or missed approach point , that the runway or its...
procedures but air traffic controlAir traffic controlAir traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
(ATC) provided effective heading control to avoid striking high ground. The lowest altitudeAltitudeAltitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of the aircraft when over land was 2,100 ft. (The highest point over land, just south of the airfield, is 1,420 ft.) Following the incident, ATC and Monarch Airlines changed their procedures to reduce the chances of repeating a similar occurrence.