Monarch Airlines

[lbia]

I've not been on here for ages, but sounds like something fun and should give a good bit of Marketing.

How sure are we that a 757 will be flying this? As far as a I know, Monarch's 757's are not ETOPS certified and none have winglets - I'm not sure what the planned passenger load for these flights will be but anything past 50% full and that Aircraft will have to make multiple stops to reach Florida.

I hope they use an A330 instead!

 

[lbaspotter]

I understand that the Monarch Orlando service from Leeds Its operating via Portland for a refuel....

 

[lbia]

Ahh that explains it then. I hope they do something with the configuration as Monarch's 757's have the old style charter seat which is very thick and had a solid 28" legroom. Jet2's 30" legroom is far from roomy for a 7 hour flight to NYC, so LBA-Florida with an hour fuel stop will be hellish!

I wouldn't mind betting they take a few seats out for camera crews etc.

 

[User0001]

The B757 will be in VIP configuration, the same as they do for the captains choice tours.

 

[Aviador]

 

[Aviador]

I heard the flight is departing Leeds/Bradford?.About time we had a flight to Orlando from Yorkshires No 1 airport!.
20 hours ago

Monarch Hi Tim, this is a special one-off flight but you never know what might happen in the future. Thanks for your post

Great to see some positive talk on Twitter regarding a potential future launch of an Orlando flight from Leeds Bradford Airport. It would be a fantastic opportunity to launch a route such as this on the day with all the publicity involved.

 

[airforced]

That seating and seat configuration looks top notch. What does it do to the max pax numbers though - not that it will matter on this flight?

 

[airforced]

I've answered my own question by doing a quick Google. It is 92 down from 229!!
Link here for anyone who is interested http://www.monarchaircraftengineering.c ... Details/42

 

[lbaspotter]

Monarch Airlines have put the Leeds - Grenoble route back on sale for next winter 2014/15 season operating once weekly on Saturdays..

 

[imagineif]

It will be great to see the Monarch 757 performing this Sanford flight, for many years (before the age of winglets) they flew this route with a pit stop in Bangor. It will also be its swansong as by the end of the Summer all 3 of its 757's will be retired.

 

[Bigman]

If it's in a VIP configuration, maybe Jet2 could buy it off Monarch and start a Dubai service with it.

(P.S only joking)

 

[lbaspotter]

Nice wish bigman!

But aren't them Monarch Boeing 757-200's even older than some of the Jet2 fleet at nearly 31 years old?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I was working at Servisair when Monarch brought one of their brand new 757's (maybe their first) to LBA- presume for promotional purposes, that must have been in/around 1977.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Just remembered it was G-MOND.

 

[doofhead]

I remember being there for that. I thought it was around 83/84 though. There was quite a few there to see it :dunno:

 

[lbaspotter]

Monarch Airways G-MOND was the first Boeing 757-200 to visit LBA back on the 23rd of February 1984 which was before the 15/33 runway extension was opened. It was working a charter to/from Malaga for Thomson Holidays due to a tech aircraft.

On Approach to runway 33:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrc_flickr ... /lightbox/
On the apron from the Terminal:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrc_flickr ... /lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrc_flickr ... /lightbox/
And Take-Off:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrc_flickr ... /lightbox/

 

[Aviador]

Remember it well I was watching it from the terminal that day.

 

[Aviador]

I remember being there for that. I thought it was around 83/84 though. There was quite a few there to see it :dunno:

It was definitely before the runway was extended so 83 will be about right, possibly even 82. I'll have been 6 or 7 years old at the time.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Looking at when it was delivered I must be getting my dates mixed up. 1983 must have been when it came in- I know it was a new aircraft and I photo'd it from the apron. I must have been working with one of the freight agents by then- but in those days there was pretty much free access to the apron, as long as your face was known.

 

[Aviador]

1994 was when the runway extension was opened which was the only reason why I question the date Lbaspotter posted. I was at the airport on the day Monarch G-MOND came in for the first time and it was definitely before the runway extension was opened.