Monarch gone bust!

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:30 am

Not the Queen the airline company

Anyone else effected by this?

I was meant to be flying home from Faro on the 19th. Flying out with jet2 on the 10th. Stupidly I used my debit card to book the flight as at the time I didn't have a credit card. Ironically I had to get a credit card for this holiday to hire a car but did this after I had booked the flight.

Fortunately my son woke me up at 4.45 this morning just as the news broke. I was able to book with Ryan air for 180 quid for all 3 of us before the flight prices jump up.

I hope Ryan air don't cancel my flights because I cannot afford to go with another airliner. At least I've paid for the new tickets on the credit card. Won't make that mistake again

JohnMac · Post by **JohnMac** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:39 am

The CAA are to charter 30 Aircraft to 'bring home' the 110,000 British tourists affected.

I love the sensationalism about 'stranded abroad'

when many of them will be thinking 'woo hoo'.

I used Monarch on several occasions mostly to Cyprus and it's a shame as they tended to be really easy to fly with and drama free.

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:42 am

In my experience monarch have been excellent. I remember an elderly gentleman becoming unwell on a flight back from lanzarote. Me and my wife went to help as they had ask for any nurses or doctors on board. The flight steward had a BP cuff and sats probe on and he understood the readings. Very professional. A similar thing happened on a Ryan air flight I was on and the flight staff were clueless. We're basically stepping for the poor girl to continue to sell booze.

I normally would love to be stuck abroad but not with a 1 year old

Although I am annoyed I'm out of pocket It's not too bad. I feel for the monarch staff who don't have a job to go to

JohnMac · Post by **JohnMac** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:44 am

Good to see your Dad yesterday on his way to babysit for you by the way.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:46 am

Cryanair not far behind? They actually had the brass neck to say they were the UK's number one airline last night. I guess once adverts are booked, you can't change them!

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:54 am

If Ryan air can take the monarch pilots it could Actually help them

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:58 am

JohnMac wrote:Good to see your Dad yesterday on his way to babysit for you by the way.

He told me he had seen you. He couldn't remember your name (he's old) so he described you and I guessed it was you

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:23 am

One or two on here will be chuffed to bits about this if Monarch were , ahem, "Remoaners".

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:28 am

This is nothing to do with Brexit and I cba with another thread banging on about that

ClaretFelix · Post by **ClaretFelix** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:35 am

Holiday booked and paid for beginning of November. Entitled to full refund, which Will be processed by the end of 2017, that's alright then...........

In the meantime we've got to scramble around for money to pay for flights whilst not guaranteeing that our hotel hasn't released our rooms to somebody else.

It's a shame, as like somebody else has mentioned, our experience of Monarch has been very good.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:43 am

evensteadiereddie wrote:One or two on here will be chuffed to bits about this if Monarch were , ahem, "Remoaners".

That's my point !

wilks_bfc · Post by **wilks_bfc** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:49 am

Parents were due to go to Dubrovnik in 2wks.
They only booked it a few weeks ago and after the 12mths the family has had, were lilooking forward to a break

Luckily booked it direct with Monarch Holidays so will get a refund

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:57 am

I am yet to receive a email from monarch saying my flights have been cancelled. I assume this is because they hope to find a buyer before the 19th?

Grimsby Claret · Post by **Grimsby Claret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:00 am

Monarch were always reliable. how will we get to menorca now

Hapag Lloyd · Post by **Hapag Lloyd** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:08 am

evensteadiereddie wrote:That's my point !

A truly pointless "point"

RocketLawnChair · Post by **RocketLawnChair** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:23 am

Inchy wrote:I am yet to receive a email from monarch saying my flights have been cancelled. I assume this is because they hope to find a buyer before the 19th?

I wouldn't expect anything Inchy. The administrator hasn't even provided anybody at the airports to pass on the news to passengers who haven't heard yet. The line basically is that all staff have been released with immediate effect.

CaptJohn · Post by **CaptJohn** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:42 am

Currently in Majorca and due to fly back to UK on Wednesday with Monarch. It's just a case of wait for the new flight to appear on their website. Feel sorry for their staff TBH.

Cubanclaret · Post by **Cubanclaret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:55 am

My wife was heading to Oporto on Friday with a girls weekend

she's gutted, especially as half of them are flying from stansted with Ryanair.

Ayamonte · Post by **Ayamonte** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:21 am

Currently in Spain and due to fly back with Monarch nxt week from Faro. Hey ho. Been a loyal Monarch customer for over 30 years, flying with them over ten times a year some years. They were a good airline and sad it has ended this way. They had an order with Boeing to replace their Airbus fleet of planes (50% more fuel efficient) so that won't be happening now. I think the first one was due for delivery later this year.

AlargeClaret · Post by **AlargeClaret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:45 am

Shame as one of the better airlines very drama free and very much a notch up on the like of easyJet and Ryanair
Been flying with them for 20yrs. No idea how they went bump but the wafer fun margins in that game must be a challenge . No doubt fleet and flight slots will be taken over so you'd hope most of their staff can get jobs

Blackrod · Post by **Blackrod** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:48 am

Good airline and in my experience. Shame. As mentioned above Ryanair will probably benefit from this.

CrosspoolClarets · Post by **CrosspoolClarets** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:27 am

Highly unfortunate for the staff and customers affected, though in theory the bigger picture of free markets is that weak companies should be allowed to fail, it rebalances demand and supply and leads to better long term quality and prosperity. For Monarch it seems that reduced demand for Egypt and Turkey, where they had a commanding position, forced them into Europe where prices are too low and demand is outsripped by supply. The rebalancing is necessary, the free market folk like Dan Hannan would attest.

Hopefully most people booking Monarch knew this was a risk and booked on credit card. They have been in trouble for ages, despite being, as others have said, a good experience for the passenger.

However, in the airline industry, there is so much state subsidy and protectionism, I’m not sure the free market theory holds. We have shipped loads of A320s from Qatar to help - would they let Qatar Airways go bust? Of course not. The Bombardier thing last week suggested that due to the huge time between paying for a plane and receiving income from sales of seats on it, state subsidies are essential. Is there thus a good argument for a nationalised airline? I hope not, but I am not sure.

ClaretDiver · Post by **ClaretDiver** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 10:41 am

How on earth were they allowed to continue selling flights and holidays up until last night knowing the inevitable was coming!!!

aggi · Post by **aggi** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 10:41 am

It's not entirely surprising Monarch have gone bust, they've been struggling for a while and have required support from their owners to keep going. I think they've suffered a bit from the move away from package holidays and also some of their major routes like Egypt and Tunisia have been hit by a huge cut in tourists.

There's no chance that Ryanair will be following them, despite all of the current issues they are still making great profits year on year, it's a highly successful business. I imagine they will also be on the lookout for Monarch pilots to ease their current issues.

jojomk1 · Post by **jojomk1** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 10:46 am

They were having the same problems 12 months ago and given a lifeline to sort themselves out

Thank god I flew back home last Thurs

d1sc0 · Post by **d1sc0** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 11:00 am

Hi Inchy. Sorry to here about the flights.

You say you paid by debit card. Was it a visa debit card? If so contact your bank. Visa debit cards are covered by similar rules to credit cards.

Google 'Visa Chargeback' as they have gone bust it should be quite a simple process.

quoonbeatz · Post by **quoonbeatz** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 11:40 am

real shame. flown with them loads and they've always been a step up on the other cheap airlines.

Rosehill Claret · Post by **Rosehill Claret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:00 pm

Brian Jensen's wife works for Monarch. No testimonial for her then.....

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:09 pm

Just seen a Monarch plane come in to Las Palmas. Presumably picking up some stranded from Gran Canaria.

Definitely a shame as far better than bloody Ryan Air which is more like catching a **** bus.

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:45 pm

d1sc0 wrote:Hi Inchy. Sorry to here about the flights.

You say you paid by debit card. Was it a visa debit card? If so contact your bank. Visa debit cards are covered by similar rules to credit cards.

Google 'Visa Chargeback' as they have gone bust it should be quite a simple process.

Cheers for this. Rang Santander who tried to fob me off to the CAA but after some pressing they said if the administrators cannot pay you (which they won't) I will be able to claim the money back. I rang the CAA and they are only dealing with customers abroad at the moment which is understandable

d1sc0 · Post by **d1sc0** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:05 pm

I have made a visa charge back claim twice in my time through company going bust. Granted it wss never a quick process took about 12 week on both occasions.

Dont let the bank fob you off. On the first occasion i had to go into halifax speak to a manager and took information printed off the net about visa chargeback.

Its your bank that deals with it. Not another department or whatever.

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:46 pm

Thanks for the help.

You only get 180 days to claim so I imagine they will be trying fob off monarch customers until they breech that period. Il give them another bell and if they won't play ball i will go to my branch on Thursday

Marney&Mee · Post by **Marney&Mee** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:49 pm

Monarch. Issues with Ryanair. I hope there'll be enough flights to Europe next season to follow our team in the Champions League...

CaptJohn · Post by **CaptJohn** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:37 pm

What a day! My flight plans home from Majorca are in disarray due to Monarch. Just been rained off the golf course. Yes heavy, bloody cold rain in Majorca! Thank goodness the lads did us proud yesterday

Claret Kitch · Post by **Claret Kitch** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:39 pm

It won't help Ryanair. Totally different planes and full training is required for the switch. Maybe in the new year it will help.

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 4:23 pm

Arrived back from Alicante with Monarch 2 weeks ago tomorrow. Old crappy Airplanes only fit for the knackers yard , it was like going back 30 years with little or any leg room.

Jet 2 are far better with their modern planes, that have far more leg room

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:07 pm

Top Claret wrote:Arrived back from Alicante with Monarch 2 weeks ago tomorrow. Old crappy Airplanes only fit for the knackers yard , it was like going back 30 years with little or any leg room.

Jet 2 are far better with their modern planes, that have far more leg room

Think they saved their lesser stock for the Benidorm stag flights!!

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:13 pm

DCWat wrote:Think they saved their lesser stock for the Benidorm stag flights!!

Probably right there

ŽižkovClaret · Post by **ŽižkovClaret** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:23 pm

Inchy wrote:Thanks for the help.

You only get 180 days to claim so I imagine they will be trying fob off monarch customers until they breech that period. Il give them another bell and if they won't play ball i will go to my branch on Thursday

Sen them an email and make sure its clearly registered as a complaint. That then gives you astart on the ticking clockof 8 weeks before you can take it to the ombudsman

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:31 pm

Hapag Lloyd wrote:A truly pointless "point"

Don't be a dick. Just because RM's a hypocrite doesn't need you have to join him.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:34 pm

Monarch have been bumping along the bottom for years so I'm not that surprised. IMO, Ryanair won't be the main beneficiaries as they don't have Airbuses, Sleazyjet have and so do Thomas Cook and they are both much better to work for. Personally, I wouldn't work for Ryanair even if it meant having an extended time off but, luckily, I've retired so that particular scenario won't feature in my future plans.