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Monarch flights cancelled as airline ceases trading Monarch flights cancelled as airline ceases trading
(35 minutes later)
Monarch Airlines has ceased trading and all of its future bookings have been cancelled, the Civil Aviation Authority has said. Monarch Airlines has ceased trading and its 300,000 future bookings for flights and holidays have been cancelled, the Civil Aviation Authority has said.
About 110,000 customers are currently overseas and the government has asked the CAA to charter more than 30 aircraft to bring them back to the UK.About 110,000 customers are currently overseas and the government has asked the CAA to charter more than 30 aircraft to bring them back to the UK.
Monarch is the UK's fifth biggest airline and the country's largest ever to go into administration.Monarch is the UK's fifth biggest airline and the country's largest ever to go into administration.
Customers due to fly from the UK have been told not to go to the airport.Customers due to fly from the UK have been told not to go to the airport.
Monarch had been in last-ditch talks with the CAA about renewing its licence to sell package holidays.Monarch had been in last-ditch talks with the CAA about renewing its licence to sell package holidays.
It had until midnight on Sunday to reach a deal with the aviation authority but failed to do so.It had until midnight on Sunday to reach a deal with the aviation authority but failed to do so.
Advice to Monarch customers, issued by CAAAdvice to Monarch customers, issued by CAA
The airline carried 6.3 million passengers last year to 40 destinations from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester airports. The CAA said the situation was "unprecedented", but the 110,000 customers currently overseas would be returned home at no additional cost to them.
Monarch, founded in 1968, employs about 2,500 people and is made up of a scheduled airline, tour operator and an engineering division. Dame Deirdre Hutton, chairwoman of the authority, said passengers from as far away as Tel Aviv would require repatriation and that two "rescue flights" from Ibiza had already taken off.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "This is a hugely distressing situation for British holidaymakers abroad - and my first priority is to help them get back to the UK. She asked passengers for patience, saying the CAA was having to effectively create one of the UK's largest airlines overnight, adding: "It is a huge undertaking."
"That is why I have immediately ordered the country's biggest ever peacetime repatriation to fly about 110,000 passengers who could otherwise have been left stranded abroad." The CAA said the "vast majority" of customers due to fly on Monday would return by the end of the day.
Monarch Airlines failure: Live updates 'Hugely distressing'
The government has warned passengers to expect disruption and delay as it works to ensure there are enough flights to return the "huge number" of passengers.
The CAA says planes are already on their way to some European airports to bring home people due to fly back on Monday. The "vast majority" of them will return by the end of the day.
Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA, said the "scale" of the operation means "some disruption is inevitable".Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA, said the "scale" of the operation means "some disruption is inevitable".
He added: "We ask customers to bear with us as we work around the clock to bring everyone home."He added: "We ask customers to bear with us as we work around the clock to bring everyone home."
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had ordered "the country's biggest ever peacetime repatriation".
"This is a hugely distressing situation for British holidaymakers abroad - and my first priority is to help them get back to the UK."
However, the government has warned passengers to expect disruption and delay as it works to ensure there are enough flights to return the "huge number" of passengers.
A perfect storm?
By Joe Lynam, BBC business correspondent
Monarch has experienced the perfect storm of challenges in recent years.
The terror attacks in Turkey and Egypt have deprived the airline of a large chunk of its annual revenues, and forced it to compete on heavily congested traditional routes to Spain and Greece.
That has forced down prices and profits on top of weaker demand from UK travellers - for whom a less valuable pound has made travelling costlier.
The short-haul market has been described as "horrendous" by senior aviation industry figures. It has already resulted in the collapse of Air Berlin and placed huge pressure on other airlines.
Put simply, there are too many seats and not enough bums to put on them to make a profit for all major carriers.
Monarch carried 6.3 million passengers last year to 40 destinations from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester airports.
The airline, founded in 1968, employs about 2,500 people and is made up of a scheduled airline, tour operator and an engineering division.
Monarch's owner, Greybull Capital, had been trying to sell part or all of its short-haul operation so it could focus on more profitable long-haul routes.
The airline reported a loss of £291m for the year to October 2016, compared with a profit of £27m for the previous 12 months, after revenues slumped.
How will package holiday customers be affected?How will package holiday customers be affected?
For people who booked package holidays - but have not yet flown - they will be able to apply for a refund through the Atol scheme, which refunds customers if a travel firm collapses.For people who booked package holidays - but have not yet flown - they will be able to apply for a refund through the Atol scheme, which refunds customers if a travel firm collapses.
"Experience suggests this will take weeks or months rather than days," says Simon Calder, travel editor at the Independent."Experience suggests this will take weeks or months rather than days," says Simon Calder, travel editor at the Independent.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live that the news was "absolutely heartbreaking" but the main thing for Monarch customers abroad was not to panic: "You will be brought home more or less on schedule."
"There is no point in arriving at the airport on the wrong day. Just continue with your holiday," he said.
By law, every UK travel company which sells air holidays has to hold an Atol licence. Monarch's website says it only held the licence for package holidays, not flight-only tickets.By law, every UK travel company which sells air holidays has to hold an Atol licence. Monarch's website says it only held the licence for package holidays, not flight-only tickets.
Monarch's owner, Greybull Capital, had been trying to sell part or all of its short-haul operation so it could focus on more profitable long-haul routes. Have you got a flight booked with Monarch? Are you Monarch staff? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
The airline reported a loss of £291m for the year to October 2016, compared with a profit of £27m for the previous 12 months, after revenues slumped. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
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