Monarch Airlines (London-Luton) has announced that it will cease flying from its base at East Midlands Airport by the end of April 2015.
The decision to close the base is part of a strategic review under the leadership of Andrew Swaffield, who was recently appointed Chief Executive of The Monarch Group. 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. These changes are already reflected in Monarch’s summer 2015 schedule.
The change is part of the next phase in Monarch’s transformation to become a scheduled European low-cost carrier. Monarch aims to complete the transition in advance of the arrival of its new narrow-bodied aircraft fleet of thirty Boeing 737 MAX 8s, announced last month, which are expected to start entering service in 2018.
Monarch’s base at Birmingham is the nearest alternative for customers used to flying with the airline from East Midlands Airport and is only 37 road miles away. Monarch has recently launched its schedule for summer 2015 from Birmingham.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A321-231 G-OZBG (msn 1941) taxies at Palma de Mallorca (PMI).
Monarch Airlines: 