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

Monarch flight MON1949 from Catania to Gatwick: Customers are left stranded without any information for several hours. No food and no drink for over 4 hours.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Monarch
• Airlines
• Catalina
• Sicily
• Thomas
• Cook
• Customer
• Service
• Travel

[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!

[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.

[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!

[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!

[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

[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?!

[Patrick3222]

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

[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?