Monarch to end charter flights
Monarch Airlines has confirmed that it will end all charter flying at the end of the winter and operate only scheduled flights from next April.
A spokeswoman said some existing charters might be axed while others will switch to scheduled services.
"This will mean that to some destinations where people now have to buy a package, they will have the option in future of buying just a seat, so they’ll have slightly more choice."
A review of Monarch’s network is expected to be completed by the autumn, when the airline will announce which of its charter routes will be switched to scheduled flights and which, if any, will be axed.
Already, 85% of Monarch’s flights are scheduled.
The airline said it will continue to sell seats to third party tour operators, but instead of chartering entire aircraft they will, from next April, be offered seat allocations on scheduled flights.
"Andrew Swaffield (Monarch’s new chief executive) made it clear over the past few months that we were moving away from our charter heritage," added the spokeswoman. "Now we have drawn a line in the sand and said that from next summer we will be a scheduled airline."
The change is part of a strategic review of the business led by new non-executive chairman Roy McNulty and Swaffield.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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