Monarch Airline collapse: Shrewsbury pensioner tells of flight troubles

It was announced yesterday morning that Monarch had ceased to trade - leaving more than 110,000 holiday makers stranded overseas.

Michael Spencer, 84, his wife Yoland and sister-in-law Valerie had been due to fly to Italy from Birmingham with the airline.

But on arriving at the airport in the early hours of yesterday morning, the family from Shrewsbury were told the company, which formed in 1967, had ceased to trade and they would have to make alternative travel arrangements if they wanted to continue with their holiday.

The trio had booked on to a 6.40am Monarch flight to Rome to begin their luxury 12-day holiday which included a cruise of the Mediterranean.

But instead they were forced to buy new flights, and stay overnight in the airport hotel, before flying out to Malta today with Flybe to catch up with their tour.

Mr Spencer, 84 said that on arrival at the airport his party were met with chaos : "There were women running up and down, children crying.

"I feel so sorry because the crews were standing by, they had got the planes outside.

"We were told to go to Air France and they wanted £500 a seat for three of us.

"I've never seen anything like it in my life. The queue was horrendous."

Mr Spencer said that the flight crews were standing around in the departure halls and that the check-in desk staff were unable to offer any help other than hand out leaflets.

The trio had planned to travel by taxi from the airport in Rome to Civitavecchia and from there join their cruise ship which would take in the sights of a Messina, Valletta, Kerkyra, Dubrovnik, Kotor, before the trip ended in Venice.

Instead they are flying out to the Maltese capital Valletta to catch up with the cruise - which had been planned for months as a treat for Mrs Stephens, who has been suffering from ill health.

Mr Spencer said: "My wife has been quite poorly all year. She's got a hiatus hernia and the doctors given her freedom to have a holiday.

"We used Cruise Circle and we booked it all up so she could get relaxation in the sun, people to cook for her and we were really looking forward to it."

About 860,000 people have lost bookings after Monarch ceased to trade and more than 30 planes will be sent by the Civil Aviation Authority to return 110,000 holidaymakers who are overseas.

Monarch employs about 2,100 people and reported a £291m loss last year.

Blair Nimmo, from administrator KPMG, said its collapse was a result of "depressed prices" in the short-haul travel market, alongside increased fuel costs and handling charges as a result of a weak pound.

Frantic search for alternative flights

Scores of holidaymakers from across Shropshire and Mid Wales have been hit by the collapse of Monarch airlines.

Among those affected is Heather Ward, Editor of the Shropshire Star’s The Farmer magazine, who had booked a package holiday to Gran Canaria booked for next week.

She was set to fly out from October 12 until 16 but the trip away has been left in doubt following the news.

“I’ve not been organising it but it was a package deal so it’s gone back to the travel agent to sort out,” she said.

“I could imagine the travel agent is going to be very busy at the moment.

“At the end of the day, if you haven’t got your holiday, it’s better to have your money back then have no holiday and no money. My husband booked flights to Faro for next Thursday. They paid on a credit card so should get a refund on that.

“And they’ve been on the internet and have been tracking down flights and managed to book some with a different airline from East Midlands rather than Birmingham.

“My husband is sorted but I don’t know what’s happening with us.

“There’s only a limited number of flights available.”

An estimated 100,000 British tourists have been stranded abroad and Monarch’s 2,100 employees have been left out of a job. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been asked by the Government to charter more than 30 aircraft to bring the passengers home. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling called it the “biggest peacetime repatriation” effort.

Heather added: “My husband’s booked another flight for February and at the moment they haven’t found alternative flights yet.”

About 860,000 people have lost bookings and more than 30 planes will be sent by the Civil Aviation Authority to return 110,000 holidaymakers who are overseas.

Monarch employs about 2,100 people and reported a £291m loss last year.

Terror attacks in Tunisia and Egypt, increased competition, and the weak pound have been blamed for its demise.