Monarch to scrap East Midlands flights
Monarch Airlines will cease flying from its base at East Midlands Airport by the end of April 2015.
The airline said the decision to close the base after just two years was part of a strategic review under the leadership of the newly appointed Monarch Group chief executive Andrew Swaffield.
The airline has 79 staff based at the airport and said they would be absorbed into the other bases.
Monarch currently operates 34 flights to nine destinations from East Midlands.
"Through a review of its network strategy, the airline is focussing on offering customers greater flight frequency and more sociable departure times to short-haul European destinations from its main UK bases," it said in a statement.
"These changes are already reflected in Monarch’s summer 2015 schedule, much of which is already on sale. The airline expects to add more flights to its programme for next summer in the coming months."
Monarch said the change is part of the next phase in its transformation to become a scheduled European low-cost carrier.
Monarch aims to complete the transition before the arrival of its new narrow-bodied aircraft fleet of 30 Boeing 737 MAX8s, which are expected to start entering service in 2018.
Swaffield thanked customers who have used East Midlands Airport and paid tribute to staff.
"As holiday habits change, our customers want a greater choice of flight times and destinations – particularly for short breaks," he said.
"As we evolve from our roots in charter flying to become a scheduled European low-cost carrier we are becoming more focussed in the services we offer which we believe will provide customers overall with a more attractive flying schedule in the future."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt