Monarch Airlines UK-DR

[KeithF]

Just don't!

Once... never again. I'm not sure I've got the time to write up all about why they are so crap. If I'd known before hand, I could have used some of the four hour delay in Gatwick or the five hour delay in PoP to write it up?

Actually, I couldn't. They insisted that my MacBook went in my checked luggage. It was either that or ?3k of camera equipment... Or they wouldn't let me fly, because my hand luggage weighed over 5kg (most serious carriers are 10kg, my combined total was less than my allowance, so what difference it made, I've no idea). "Are you taking responsibility for my Mac if it goes missing or gets damaged after you've insisted it goes in my suitcase" is a pretty straightforward "yes" or "no" type question... they never did actually answer me. I missed my connecting flight when I got back to Gatwick so had another four hour wait for the next one, 'tough, you're here now, not our problem, if your next carrier impose a charge, claim on your insurance'... "Sorry" would have helped. I was tired and 'not happy', but I wasn't rude or angry (at that point) but I said...

"I've been to the Dominican Republic eight times in sixteen months and these are the worst flights I've had"
'Customer Service Person' "Who do you normally fly with?"
"Thomson"
"Well fly with them next time" You bet you I will!!!

I could go on but I'll leave it at that. If you're on this site researching holidays from the UK to the Dom Rep, if Monarch Airways are your carrier, book with someone else or prepare to spend most of your time inside an airport departure lounge being treated like a battery hen.

 

[daydream]

I took a one way flight from DR to London with Monarch and was delayed for 52 hours.

Customer service was terrible. Departure was rescheduled 4 times - and each time I called the airport to check if the plane was actually going to take off I was told YES - only to get there and be told to come back later - talk about messing people around.

Also - major lack of leg room

 

[british bulldog]

I have used them all in the last 5 years,they all appear to be getting attitude problems lately.Anyway they can get more money from you they will,and the one way is luggage.Heard airlines now ,want the ticket price to be just for your seat only,your luggage will soon become an additional extra cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!as is your meal ect ect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lambada]

Meals are already an additional ?15 on Thomson and also an additional charge on My Travel.

Took a Monarch flight out of here years ago - my one & only time! On my recent trip to UK I flew to UK with Thomson and back to DR with My Travel, bought the upgrade on each journey. Thomson was vastly superior for customer service by cabin crew. My Travel flight from LGW to POP was initially delayed 4.5 hours (technical reasons) then brought forward 3.5 hours but no public announcement so not everyone made the flight! Luggage of the 'missing' had thus to be found and removed from aircraft.

ETA changed a number of times before departure, flurry of emails to Bushbaby who was meeting me. Eventually I gave up trying to send reamended, readjusted ETA & suggested he follow flight on Flight Tracker, not realising that that was the day his computer wouldn't boot up.........

Not sure if airline is responsible for PA at Gatwick but no announcements was really daft since when most people hear 4.5 hors delay due tech reasons they expect further delays, not flight brought forward! Thank goodness I only do this trip once every 3 years.

 

[aviastar]

Well, now you know that next time you have to use BA to Miami and than connect to AA

 

[Lambada]

'Fraid not, aviastar. I have done the AA route (LHR-MIA/LHR-JFK & MIA-POP) on a number of occasions in the past but for political reasons this year I wasn't prepared to set foot on US soil. Not until the US has a change of foreign policy will I even transit. Nothing to do with the airlines or their capabilities - had some excellent service from AA. Just the Government. That's why it had to be a direct flight this time.

 

[Saskia]

... never again ...

Our experience with Monarch last year was just pityful. We arrived at LGW ready to fly at 10am, we were told that due to problems with the plane we would not be able to fly direct from LGW and that at 1pm we would have to catch a flight to Manchester where there was a plane which would take us to POP. What a nightmare! So 4 hours late right? Nooo wrong!! We get to Manchester to find that we have to collect our luggage and re-check in ... low and behold the plane is delayed a further 2 hours!! :tired:

However, on the return journey POP to LGW, the flight left 1 hour 30 mins early ... half the people missed the flight.:ermm: We only just made it!

Yes the flights are cheap but personally, I would never travel with them again. Organisation was nil, customer service extremely poor. Sorry Monarch ... I would have to voice my opinion if anyone I knew thought about using your services!