Monarch Airlines

...to fly to Egypt with Monarch earlier this year. The trip started badly with some problems in the check-in procedure. Soon there were several long queues of people at the Monarch check-in desks, some worrying because the check-in time limit was quickly approaching. No attempt was made to inform us about the situation, or to reassure us that we would not miss our flights. The aeroplane was extremely cramped. I am of below-average height, but I found ...
...airport for another dose of Monarch on the way back. I personally will never book another holiday that uses Monarch flights. I am aware that standards of air travel are decreasing all the time, but Monarch is truly the pits. I suggest the airline changes its name from Monarch to Mendicant, because a beggar is more in keeping with the image it projects. ...

tehuti 27.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...>ALSO THIS REVIEW IS ON MONARCH SCHEDULED - ZB, NOT MON >ONE LAST NOTE:- MONARCH IS NOT ADVERTISED AS A BUDGET AIRLINE AND ALTHOUGH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SOME BUDGET AIRLINES THEY ARE GENERALLY NOT TOO BAD. I flew with monarch Scheduled for the first time over five years ago, and it must be said that at the time I was somewhat less than impressed. I found the planes to be in awful condition and generally flying with them was displeasurable. My step-dad ...
...have made frequent flights with Monarch from Manchester to Alicante, and back. This means I am now a member of their vantage club which makes flying even better than it already is anyway. I always get butterflies in my stomach before flying though I do actually enjoy flying. THE PLANES... the majority of the planes used by monarch are airbuses. There are a large number of airbus A321s, a large number of A320s and several A330s. I have never flown ...

DC-DanielColeflax 30.05.2007 (29.08.2007) · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...nature. I have flown with Monarch on many occasions. I owned a property in Spain for a while and I flew to Alicanti from Gatwick 3 to 4 times a year, many of them with this airline. I cannot remember having a poor flight but now and there would be the enervative delays, then you will get delays with all airlines occasionally My last flight was to Tenerife with my son and partner in May 2003 from Luton. We were given reserved seats with extra legroom ...
...draw as to the menu. Monarch is very good at serving special meals such as diabetic and vegetarian. As long as you give plenty notice they will provide. Best to order when booking. Checkins these days are slow but that applies to all. It is due to extra security the staff takes a little longer to book you in. This is a small price to pay for our safety. So if the queue is slow, be patient. I am not going to give loads of details about types of aircraft ...

nigelblue 06.07.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...having the pleasure? of using Monarch Airlines i thought i would share my observations with you, to perhaps make your trip easier. Firstly my outward journey was delayed by 21 hours - I realise this can happen to any Airline, although certainly having limited Aircraft available on stand-by did not help the situation. What I did find hard to take was the lack of information given out by the Airline via the groud Handling Agency. Yes I was put up ...
...plane. I realise that Monarch are trying to make themselves Money but i found the whole experience extremely tacky. Going on a package deal as I did, Monarch were part of the deal. If you are booked to travel with them, do yourselves a favour and take an extra can of drink and a bite to eat with you. Also do not expect anyhting else other than a very basic service. Airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet make their cheap and cheerful attitude to flying ...

murky5 19.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...I had never flown by Monarch before so I was interested to see what it would be like. I never would have expected the outrageous and totally unacceptable ordeal i was to endure! Arriving at check-in I discovered a queue where people were pushing infront of each other and the check-in staff were dealing with matters very slowly. It was such a circus that I almost got in to a massive row with a man who was literally pushing everyone out of his way ...
...was such a state because Monarch had overbooked the seats on the plane and so could not accomodate everyone on this flight. What a mess. Luckily I managed to get a seat but was told by check-in to run to the plane as it was about to leave. Have you ever heard of anything like this?!?! The plane....oh the plane. It makes me nervous even thinking back to that trip. It was a very small plane - perhaps the smallest I have been on and it was messy inside ...

Deenie 28.11.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...of my mind and review Monarch fairly and without bias. [Our flight to Dalaman, Turkey, had to return to Gatwick due to engine trouble] If you're using Monarch for a package holiday, you know what you're going to get. The only way they could stuff any more people in the plane's fuselage would be to stack them in flat boxes in the hold. The preparations for the flight are worryingly quick - no sooner do you sit down, the plane is trundling along the ...
...on take off. Stewardesses tend to wear dark brown foundation, which is disconcerting, and treat you with icy efficiency. They don't REALLY want to talk to you, and cater for your needs with a heartfelt sigh of dissatisfaction. Your in-flight meal comes in a tiny lunch box, a D.I.Y beef stroganoff or chicken casserole. Once you've constructed your meal, and peeled the lid off without needing skin grafts (watch out - those foil lids are hot!) you then ...

Plissken 29.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...trawled the internet and found Monarch Airlines were offering seats for just under £500 per person. Great, I thought and duly booked 5. I haven't flown long haul for years and my memories of films, good meals and time to sleep were duly smashed with this airline, partly due to hidden costs. Firstly, the films. We had to pay for each headset! Excuse me! I have 3 children eager to watch their free(!) film - so, I have to pay - I'm not going to start ...
...set but for 5 of us that came to £7.50. Having heard about screens in the back of seats, I was looking forward to watching my choice of film while the children watch theirs. I was to be disappointed. Screens came down from the middle overhead compartments and there was one film only for all to see. Secondly, the food. Not bad but with only one choice, one of my children hardly liked any of the food and went hungry! However, anytime drinks came round ...

random8 29.10.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...best price comparison we chose Monarch gold service, a scheduled flight from Luton to Alicante, Spain. On arrival at the airport and the check in went very smoothly, we had been able to pre-book our seats, so sitting together was already sorted out before our departure day. Without any delay we were boarded onto the aircraft in plenty of time, which was an airbus 600. On the plane we were offered a newspaper or hello or ok magazine, and kids got ...
...on the edge of being rude, but I would say he was just rather ignorant! However, Monarch should not be judged on one person, and all in all I thought that the airline was very good, clean, efficient and friendly, and we would use them again thats for sure. ...

willsmj 06.11.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...to Zante and flew with Monarch from Gatwick Airport. The check in desks were efficient, we were only queuing for about 10-15 minutes. The plane itself was bigger than expected but was a standard charter flight. The in flight magazine was well thumbed and old, and no air sick bags (thankfully i didnt need it)! The seats were uncomfortable as most flights are and not much leg room. There were seats at the front of the plane which were empty but cost ...
...when we took off we weren't allowed to move there without paying which was a complete rip off. The in flight movie was shown on a tiny scree suspended from the ceiling, I cant even remember what it was but it was only a three hour flight so it wasnt necessary for me. The food was good, one of the best I've had: cottage pie and veg and some sort of trifle for dessert. On the way back, we were seated in the extra legroom area for free so I dont understand ...

silvachilla 22.01.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

I Recently flew with Monarch airline to Gran Canaria - Playa del Ingles for my first time and found it to be ok. The plane was a bowing 757. It was a very uncomfortable journey there and back especially for my fiancé who’s 6ft 1 as you had hardly any leg room. The Plane had to many seats in it, which is what made it have hardly any leg room and made it very uncomfortable. This flight was 4 hours long going to Gran Canaria and 3 and a half hours ...
...two hours going to Gran Canaria and an hour delayed coming back to Gatwick so that was a big downside to our holiday. For children under 2 yrs old they give you a small belt to attach on to your belt, after they reach the age of two they can have their own seat for a price. The food was ok and the airhostess’s were helpful with keep asking if you wanted drinks or to buy gifts on the plane and to clear rubbish away. With the meals you were ...

Toady 27.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

*Overall, Monarch are terrible. I used them on a recent holiday as part of the package, and would never fly with them again.* Seat pitch - I'm 5ft 0 so don't normally care, but I was quite cramped, so it must be small! I even got given an emergency exit seat on the way out, which had more space, but of course had people pushing by on the way to the toilet etc. all night. Very annoying. For that reason, if you're not 6 ft I wouldn't request it. ...
...but it was edible. Monarch charge for drinks other than tea or coffee, and snacks except the meals. Prices are ridiculous of course. (They do generously give you free water, in tiny cups, though). And don't expect service, as I said - you'll have to go to the back to the stewards' area. Entertainment - effectively none. You don't get the screen in the back of the seat in front of you which I thought was standard these days. These are old-style ...

Seagreen 15.08.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...I would like to add Monarch Plus on to my flight which was an extra £25pp, this would give me pre book able seats, normal price £7pp, a free head set, free newspapers inbound and a free bottle of wine each with both meals. I did not take this option. On my departure day from Manchester to Arrecife, I was greeted straight away with a smile from boarding staff as we were checked in. I asked again re extra leg room and the stewardess kindly upgraded ...
...Although we had an hour delay, we had great seats, and even had personalized TV’s! The staff on the aircraft were great as well, the best I’ve had by fare. The meal was great too, it was nice and hot! And a nice variety and I always love having and extra cup or two of coffee which was also no problem... On returning two weeks later we just needed to confirm our flight 24 hrs before with the Cosmos reps in Arrecife. The telephone number is printed ...

BubbleLove 11.01.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

...that we were flying with Monarch Airlines. Finally accepting that this was a done deal and I could do nothing about it, I started to warm to the idea of another Florida holiday. I started then to speak to friends who had used Monarch and also read the reviews on Ciao. I started to get worried again, too many reports of cramped seating and poor service. As I am just over 6 foot tall and carrying a few more pounds in weight than I should be, the thought ...
...thing I did notice about Monarch is the amount of times during the flight they try to part you from your cash, selling everything from scratch cards to duty free goods, however it must be said that you are in no way pressured to buy any of this stuff from the crew - only your own kids. If I have to gripe about the flight it was that the aisles in the plane are narrow, so if you are seated on the edge of a row you get bumped - often, and they are ...

barney3 07.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

I recently travelled on Monarch airlines during the summer. Having never flown on the airline before I didn't know what to expect. The flight was a long one flying from Stansted to Rhodes in Greece, 5-6 hour I think. The main problem I had on the flight was the amount of legroom. I just fitted in and no more. I didn't want to walk around on the aisle, as I didn't want to disturb the stewards also if I did want to get out I would have had to disturb ...
...in and out, eventually nature called and I had to get out of my seat and go to the toilet. On my way to the WC, I noticed that the best place for legroom was the row of seats behind the exit door, as it had ample room for people to get on and off the plane. The in-flight meals weren't the best; I received a hot baguette with cheese and ham. It did not taste nice at all who ever came up with that recipe didn't put a lot of thought in to it at all. ...

Eireann 21.12.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines

I flew with Monarch from Gatwick to Male (Maldives). My nan had saved up for this trip for my 16th birthday and had been several times herself. We were the first people to check in, we knew this because they (very helpfully) opened it for us. My nan asked if it would be possible to get a window seat, explaining she wanted me to experience the view as we flew into the Maldives. We were assured that of course that was fine, it was all very polite ...
...to fly with Monarch again and it would be an absolute last resort. Unfortunately they are one of the only airlines that fly to the Maldives and should i ever be lucky enough to afford to go again, i may not have a choice. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. ...

sarah_xXx 26.02.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Monarch Airlines