UK. Monarch Airlines and Monarch Travel Group have been put in the hands of administrators effective today with all flights from the UK cancelled. They will not be rescheduled.
Because of the insolvency proceedings, Monarch Airlines is no longer able to fly as its Air Operating Certificate has been suspended.
The airline offered six million sector seats to leisure destinations, while the tour operating division offered package holidays across the airline’s scheduled network
Monarch comprises a scheduled airline, in-house tour operator and an engineering division (the latter still in business). The airline, founded in 1968, flies to over 40 destinations from five UK bases: London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds-Bradford and Luton, where it is headquartered. The airline offered six million sector seats to leisure destinations, while the tour operating division offered package holidays across the airline’s scheduled network.
All Monarch flights to the UK today and for the next two weeks will be replaced with alternative flights, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with assistance from the administrators
KPMG has been appointed as administrator to Monarch Airlines Limited and Monarch Travel Group Limited.
All flights operated by Monarch Airlines from the UK, and all future holidays booked with Monarch Travel Group, are cancelled with immediate effect.
Monarch will not be able to reschedule these flights or holidays. Passengers due to fly with Monarch from the UK are advised not to travel to their airport, unless they have booked alternative arrangements.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), with assistance from the administrators and employees of the company, and at the request of the Government, will be coordinating the repatriation of Monarch customers who are currently overseas and who are scheduled to fly to the UK over the next two weeks at no cost to them.
These customers are advised to not to travel to the airport until they have seen confirmation of their new flight on monarch.caa.co.uk
The CAA’s headline intention, today and in the next two weeks, is to seek to repatriate passengers to the UK as close to their scheduled return date as possible.
The monarch.caa.co.uk website also contains details of how customers can apply for refunds.
Blair Nimmo, Partner at KPMG and Joint Administrator to the companies, said: “Mounting cost pressures and increasingly competitive market conditions in the European short-haul market have contributed to the Monarch Group experiencing a sustained period of trading losses. This has resulted in management appointing us as administrators in the early hours of this morning.
“While this timing is unusual in insolvency situations, it was necessary for the appointment to be made once all Monarch aircraft were on the ground. This only occurs in the early hours of each morning. Once the company entered insolvency, the Air Operating Certificate it needs to be able to fly was effectively suspended, which is why all outbound flights were cancelled with immediate effect.
“Our primary focus for the next 48 hours is to work with the Civil Aviation Authority to provide the infrastructure and information needed to help the Government and CAA with the safe repatriation of approximately all the 110,000 customers who are currently overseas and due to travel back to the UK within the next two weeks. This includes all those whose trip is not specifically covered by ATOL protection. The CAA has provided funding to enable the Group to retain a number of employees to assist us with the provision of this information.
“We understand that this will be a difficult and distressing time for many, and we anticipate a large volume of calls and queries from customers who are affected. We therefore kindly request that passengers who are not scheduled to travel within the next 48 hours to refer to the CAA website (monarch.caa.co.uk) in the first instance for further information. This will allow us to assist the CAA and prioritise to ensure the safe repatriation of all customers located overseas who were scheduled for immediate travel back to the UK.
“We will also be speaking to all of the Group’s employees today, and commencing the process of returning the Group’s leased aircraft fleet to its owners.”
Together, the Group offered airline capacity of over six million sector seats and tour operator passenger volumes of over 200,000 per year. The Group is headquartered in Luton. The Airline and Tour Group employ approximately 2,100 people between them.
Important information for customers:
- Two dedicated helplines have been set up for customers in the UK and customers overseas:
Customers in the UK: 0300 303 2800
Customers overseas: +44 1753 330330
