Published on : Saturday, August 16, 2014
Monarch Airlines today confirms that it will move completely to scheduled flying from summer 2015, as it continues its transformation to become a scheduled European low-cost carrier.
Over recent years, Monarch has moved progressively towards this goal and scheduled services now account for some 85% of its flying.
The continuation of charter services is now incompatible with operating the efficient schedule that Monarch is planning for the future. The decision to withdraw fully from charter flying is part of a strategic review being led by Andrew Swaffield, who was recently appointed Chief Executive of The Monarch Group.
A number of the routes Monarch currently operates on a charter basis may become part of the Airline’s scheduled programme for summer 2015, though this is subject to a review of Monarch’s network and schedule that is underway.
Customers of the Group’s tour operating businesses, Cosmos Holidays and Avro, are unaffected as their flying needs will continue to be met, as they are today, by a combination of seat allocations on Monarch’s scheduled services and third-party airlines. The Group’s subsidiary, First Aviation, will also continue to offer its customers allocations on Monarch’s scheduled programme as well as charters and allocations with a range of third-party airlines.
Monarch aims to complete its transformation to become a scheduled European low-cost carrier by the time its new narrow-bodied aircraft fleet of 30 Boeing 737 MAX8s start entering service in 2018.
Andrew Swaffield, Chief Executive of The Monarch Group, commented:
“Monarch has years of experience of looking after holiday makers and tour operators – it was once a byword for charter flying. Changes in our market convince us that there is now a real opportunity for a scheduled low cost carrier that knows how to work in the leisure travel sector. We hope to continue growing our relationships with our travel trade partners and meet many of their needs through our scheduled services in future.
“Monarch’s success depends upon us delivering the best possible operation and quality of service for our customers – and at sustainable levels of profitability. It is for these reasons that we are taking important decisions to reshape our base network and flying schedule next year.
“Our tour operating and holidays businesses, Cosmos and Avro, will continue to serve their holiday destinations by using seat allocations on a variety of third-party airlines as they do today.”
Source:- Monarch Airlines
Tags: latest Airlines News, Monarch Airlines
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