Monarch Airlines

Monarch Airlines (www.monarch.co.uk) transported approximately 6.2 million passengers in 2013, making it one of the UK's most popular leisure airlines. Based at Luton Airport, the airline operates scheduled flights to destinations across Europe and North Africa. Monarch Airlines also offers charter flights to destinations in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.

About Monarch Airlines

Monarch Airlines is a member company of the Monarch Group and is owned by the Globus Travel Group. The Monarch Group includes Cosmos Holidays, Avro, somewhere2stay, and Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL). Employing approximately 3,000 people, Monarch Airlines is one of the UK's oldest airlines that continues to operate under its original name. The airline provides schedule and charter services from bases at London Gatwick, London Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh Birmingham and Leeds Bradford airports. Charter flights also fly to and from Cardiff, Bristol, Newcastle, East Midlands and Glasgow airports. As of March 2014, Monarch Airlines' fleet consists of 35 aircraft, including Airbus A300, A320, A321 and A330 airliners. The airline's four Boeing 757 aircraft were retired in 2014 and replaced with new A321 aircraft.

History

Founded in 1967, Monarch Airlines began operating charter flights to Spain in 1967. With increasing demand for affordable holiday flights, the airline grew into one of the UK's leading leisure airlines. First operating with only two aircraft, the airline grew quickly. By 1972, Monarch had an all-jet fleet that transported 500,000 passengers annually. In 1986, Monarch Airlines launched its first schedule service to Spain, adding to its network of chartered services. In 1983, Monarch introduced an innovative system of one-way fares that would give travellers the flexibility to choose outward and inbound flights. In the 1990s, Monarch introduced two-class seating for the charter market. On short-haul flights, Monarch moved towards a no-frills, low cost airline model in response to the growth of competitors such as Ryanair and EasyJet.

Destinations

Many of Monarch Airlines flights connect UK travellers with holiday destinations around the Mediterranean, as well as Madeira and the Canary Islands. Scheduled leisure flights are offered to some 30 destinations in Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Egypt. During winter months, the airline also flies schedule services to ski destinations in Austria, France and Germany. With its charter flights, Monarch Airlines serves additional destinations in the United States, the Caribbean, India, Gambia, Switzerland, and Greece.

Classes of Service

Most aircraft operated by Monarch Airlines have a single class of service. Premium Cabin seats are available on long-haul routes and offer extra legroom with more comfortable seating. Passengers opting for a Premium Cabin upgrade are also provided with complimentary headsets, comfort packs, a welcome drink and bar service, and upgraded catering. Hot meals may be ordered in advance online or purchased on board on most flights in any class. Premium Cabin passengers also have access to dedicated check-in at most airports, increased baggage allowance, and priority boarding.

Head Office Address

Monarch Airlines
Prospect House
Prospect Way
London Luton Airport
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU2 9NU