Monarch Airlines don't Communicate with their customers... Catania Airport - August 2008

[roseipk]

I have flown with Monarch for many years...no complaints...always my first choice. Airports often get delays and it is more often for the saftey of passengers....no airline likes to delay anyone without good reason. Patience is all they need. There could have been problems with weather, airspace or other related aviation issues....sorry but they need to become educated in air safety...their behaviour is bad.

[eltfell]

It's better this way. Imagine: More than 220 angry Brits having access to alcohol...

[LH287]

You can't blame Moncarch for that, as it's been mentioned before it's tha handling staff's fault. The video title is misleading. It can happen with any airline, anywhere, you should try Ryanair, you'd love them.

[bigkevin10]

just gives the british a bad name

[queenvic16]

If your delay was over 3 hours then Monarch would have paid the airport to give you a meal. As is so often the case however the foreign airports pocket the money and leave the customers in the dark. I bet you wrote nasty letters to Monarch too demanding compensation, when they worked hard to sort it out and spent a fortune on food and money vouchers that you never received. The only people at fault here are the handling agents at the airport for not providing the service they were paid to do.

[jcreaser]

We eventually got some vouchers after complaining for several hours but all but one of the food outlets were closed by the time we got out there and there was nothing worth having left. I never ended up writing to Monarch as they eventually accepted responsibility for the whole mess the next day when we finally got on the plane. As you say, the handling agents were the ones who didn't have a clue - they even (apparently) prevented the crew from leaving the plane for several hours!

[Patrick3222]

Seriously you should try bmibaby, they cancel your flight and don't care about what happens to you.

[danweeks20]

I find it truely amazing that supposed grown adults don't have the ability to control themselves! Being British myself I am truely embarrased by the conduct seen here and generally whenever Brits leave the UK (maybe thats why I moved half way across the world!!)

As for your comment "and (of course) didn't speak English", I find this most offensive. Your in their country - show some respect!

Furthermore maybe you should research the airline and industry prior to commiting slander!

[addblive]

You think THIS is bad? I was delayed for 14 hours in the Dominican Republic in the same conditions, same scenario. In fact, I'd go as far to say it was worse. It was about 50 degrees outside, when were finally given a plane to sit on, we were sat on it for FOUR hours with no air conditioning because they were running round with spanners trying to fix it, which was a bit scary.. You're not the only one for this to happen, so stop moaning. Shit happens?

[newbie5296]

This makes me laugh!!!

What information was it that you wanted exactly? Being told an estimated time of departure is not going CHANGE the actual time the aircraft leaves. You're going to have to sit and wait whatever. What is it with middle aged men who have the patience of a gnat? Victor Meldrew springs to mind! You have to accept that while there are airlines there will be DELAYS, sometimes they are unavoidable. As if thundering through the sky in a tube at 600mph isn't a miracle in itself!

[jcreaser]

No, what doesn't make me laugh is to see my two very young kids trying to sleep on the departure lounge floor and nobody around who was bothered to even let us out of there to get food or buy water for over 4 hours. We also had to contend with 2 flights in one small departure area which became a real h&s issue.

[hardcoreollie]

You should do research before slating a airline, its the ground agents that are at fault not Monarch, its Sac that are at fault.

[jcreaser]

Perhaps you should have experienced it then... Odd how nobody from Monarch could be bothered to explain what was happening until over 24 hours later.

[addblive]

You think THIS is bad? I was delayed for 14 hours in the Dominican Republic in the same conditions, same scenario. In fact, I'd go as far to say it was worse. It was about 50 degrees outside, when we were finally given a plane to sit on, we were sat on it for FOUR hours with no air conditioning because they were running round with spanners trying to fix it, which was a bit scary.. You're not the only one for this to happen, so stop moaning. Shit happens?

[martinduk]

monarch don't actually have staff based at every single airport they fly to you know. they pass information on to agents oversees and then it's up to them. why do some brits on holiday go so thick?!

[Furnzo2007]

This is the airports handling agent!! These are companies that the airline pay to look after their airline, so in reality it is the handling agent that let you and Monarch down! Monarchs specific handling agent is Swissport!

[alicesprings84]

as much as i have had problems with monarch several times i have been delayed atot longer than 4 hours such as (36 hours!!) not just with monarch but with other airlines, so although i can understand how frustraiting it is to have no info from the airline and so on it could be alot worse, i am sure the italian staff also didnt have alot of info from monarch and were annoyed to.

[nbeggs]

Monarch dont have staff in Catania, thats why they pay the ground handling agents to help the passengers. So its actually their fault you were left so long without food or water. And that man shouting at about 4:25, there's certain ways of asking for things and shouting isnt one of them! i understand it must have been very uncomfortable but manners cost nothing!

[xpsvas67]

Thought you Cosmos travellers on this flight might be interested to know that Cosmos Holidays

own Monarch Airlines. Getting screwed twice in the same day by the same company. Inexcusable!!

[jcreaser]

I quite agree that it's a good thing the Italians did a random check and found problems with the aircraft. The problem is that there was no communication at all and we were all left in a cramped and potentially dangerous situation. At one point, when another flight joined us in the small departure lounge there were more than 400 people there. We weren't offered any food or water for more than 4 hours after we entered the departure lounge. Nobody minds a delay if the reason is explained to them.

[rhinohobson]

I was on this flight and it was the 1st time i had ever flown yeah its a pain in the arse being delayed and not being told anything but would you rather the plane crash because of your impatience or wait a few hours whilst it is fixed yes monarch are crap and they should have sent a rep down, but did they have any their? i dont think so! just thank your lucky stars the itanlians found what they found or we could have ended up like the quantas flight but worse off think about it ok!!

[trinityy111]

Not aware that recieving information from the airline regarding its departure would compromise plane's safety! Issue was not impatience, no-one was demanding the right to fly...just to information! We arrived at the airport 1700hrs, left for the Hotel 0400hrs/ish next day(not just a few hours!). Gr8 that the Italians found the fault but not fixing it? don't really feel like singing the Italian's praises..we're meant to be in the EU - don't reckon London would do the same to Non-Brit plane.

[sang050566]

I was on this flight, I had 2 kids aged 7 and 9 totally inconsolable, after having to sleep on a dirty and cold floor, they were finally put to bed at 4am afer 12 hours of pure hell! disgusting and I urge others to think twice before flying with Monarch.

[xpsvas67]

I have emailed this link to

1,Monarch Airlines

2, SAC .. Catania Service Team

3, Thomas Cook

[xpsvas67]

SAC are totally to blame for the over crowding in the departure lounge, I think the passenger count in that room was more like 500. I have never seen passengers from 2 seperate flights in the same departure lounge before. Without a doubt SAC contraveined both safety and security rules.

[xpsvas67]

I was on that flight too, It was my mother they that they removed from the departure lounge. Abosolutley disgusting behaviour from Monarch.

I think Monarch should supply a written detailed sequence of events to all passengers Involved.

To Monarch....

The Thomas Cook rep bailed you out of a really explosive situation.

To Thomas Cook.. Your Rep Denise requires a healthy pay rise.. Thank You Denise, we all owe you.