Monarch are in breach of an EU directive by only contacting me 2 days before I fly, when they have been wet-leasing this plane to operate out of EMA for months,( flight track records prove this)

They moved into EMA to fill the gap left by BmiBaby and they had to 'wet-lease' because they didn't have the planes (new planes are expected next year) and neither have they indentified the carrier in the email....they are in breach of the directive Article 11 Regulation EC 2111/2005 - which states that they should have informed me at the earliest opportunity.

If they've been operating this flight for months, therefore informing me 2 days before the flight is NOT the earliest opportunity, and I suspect they knew that I wouldn't be travelling on a Monarch aircraft on the day they sold the flight, even though they continue to display the flight as a ZB Monarch scheduled flight.

I will be contacting someone over this, I'm fretting and furious....Nobody had better try and me off at 5 am tomorrow morning - do so at your peril.

And imo Monarch's Facebook page is a complete and utter waste of bandwith, with typical 'couldn't give a poo' replies that they don't 'do' refunds and charges occur to change the departing airport.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/furtherinfo_en.htm

Anyway, thanks for your replies, advice or sympathy.

Sanji
Edit for typo error.

Well you know you have the deepest sympathy from me Sanji as I think it's a disgraceful way to go about things. You are at least prepared now when you get to the airport and are faced with a different plane to the one you booked with I can't imagine how you would have felt if you'd got to the airport all geared up for your Monarch flight and then been led to Small Planet Airlines sitting on the tarmac.

I imagine there'll be some very unhappy customers tomorrow at EMA.

Will be thinking of you

Oh no Sanji- I know you don't like flying so this is all you need. I hope its better than you are thinking now.

Unfortunately, I don't think it is going to get any better.
Please read under the 'Recent posts by others' - scroll down to the post by Zachary Jake Cocker posted 3 hours ago....and yes you'll see my reply and a good rant on there from yesterday.
The plane in question does both EMA - Alicante & Malaga - he mentions the plane being 23 years old, same as I did yesterday.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/Monarch

Sanji

Zaks post is fairly disturbing Sanji!! Hope your flight goes OK .

I agree with GMT. It really sounds bad. Wish I could say differently

I don't for one single minute think that Zak is exaggerating or telling porkie pies.

The internet is full of similar posts, and I'm just so wound up and furious about it....and extremely nervous.

Article 11
Information on the identity of the operating air carrier
1. Upon reservation, the air carriage contractor shall inform the
passenger of the identity of the operating air carrier or carriers,
whatever the means used to make the reservation.

2. Where the identity of the operating air carrier or carriers is not yet
known at the time of reservation, the air carriage contractor shall ensure
that the passenger is informed of the name or names of the air carrier
or carriers that is or are likely to act as operating air carrier or carriers
on the flight or flights concerned. In such case, the air carriage
contractor shall ensure that the passenger is informed of the identity
of the operating air carrier or carriers as soon as such identity is established.

3. Wherever the operating air carrier or carriers is or are changed
after reservation, the air carriage contractor shall, irrespective of the
reason for the change, take immediately all appropriate steps to
ensure that the passenger is informed of the change as soon as
possible. In all cases, passengers shall be informed at check-in, or on
boarding where no check-in is required for a connecting flight.

4. The air carrier or the tour operator, as the case may be, shall
ensure that the relevant air carriage contractor is informed of the
identity of the operating air carrier or carriers as soon as this is known,
in particular in the event of a change of such identity.

5. If a ticket seller has not been informed of the identity of the
operating air carrier, it shall not be responsible for not complying
with the obligations provided for in this Article.

6. The obligation of the air carriage contractor to inform passengers
of the identity of the operating air carrier or carriers shall be specified in
the general terms of sale applicable to the contract of carriage.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2005R2111:20090807:EN:PDF

Monarch sent me an email at 14.32 on the 14/9/12 - just notifying me of the change of aircraft, with no indentification of the carrier- yet they obviously do know the carrier because they are wet-leasing and I doubt it was ever going to be the scheduled ZB Monarch plane. You can't deny flight records.

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/zb7448

and this plane is indeed 23 years old - ferrying between EMA- Malaga and Alicante.

http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Boeing/737/24327,LY-FLJ-Small-Planet-Airlines.php

Sanji

Don't know what to say to make you feel any better Sanji, just that I'll be thinking of you, which I know is small comfort as you don't like flying at the best of times.

This happened to me yesterday (Sunday) returning from Malaga to Manchester. However, the replacement aircraft was better than the outbound Monarch A320. There was more legroom for every seat, with free bottles of water, tea, coffee etc and free sandwich and biscuits. Cabin crew with a sense of humour.." in case of cabin pressure problem oxygen masks will miraculously appear from a secret compartment above your head.." " take note of the emergency instructions, there will be a test afterwards to make sure you have been listening "
The aircraft was devoid of any livery ( white van man sprang to mind) but the cabin crew wore smart WOW uniforms. An absolute delight to fly with them, it was like taking a private-hire taxi instead of a bus.

hope all goes well for you sanji
Margaret(madmum)

Have heard from Sanji. Apparently they weren't told of change of aircraft at the airport there was only a small sign at check-in saying same as her email with one extra line saying 'Planet Airways'.

She's landed ok but there wasn't any Monarch staff on board instead it was a multi national crew who were very difficult to understand.

but she didn't say anything else about the actual aircraft? Hopefully it wasn't as bad as others have experienced.

No Fiona, am hoping Sanji will log in from Spain and let us know more

Oh well the main thing is she got there safely. I know nothing about aircraft and airlines, does it mean she will be on the same ancient old crate on the way back or is it possible she will have a proper Monarch Plane

xxxx

The Pilot was Austrian and we didn't understand a word he said....honestly...he gabbled in broken English, so, I was glad there was a Spaniard on board, seeing as we were going to Spain.
First officer was Spanish
Cabin crew a mixture of Italian and Lithuanian- stone faced with uniforms like they'd been bought at Primark - skirt and cardigan, but they had a job to do under difficult circumstances.
No one from Monarch speaking fluent English on board a plane load full of British passengers.

Emergency drill the quickest and basic I have ever heard- with broken English- all over in a matter of seconds.
That IS a worrying aspect of not having pre-comprehensible instructions in an emergency.
The plane was parked up in a remote area of the airport, probably to keep it out of sight until there was no turning back- we literally trekked alongside the runway.

The plane, it was the plane in my previous post ferrying between EMA - Malaga/Alicante -and the one described by Zak (the facebook user ) as he described with the back of the middle seat in row four missing.
Externally the plane does look very old - well it is - my heart sank when I saw it.
Inside it wasn't as bad as I was led to believe, and it has been 'knocked about' in 23 years, but in all fairness the landing was good.
I suppose it was like paying for a flight with British Airways and ending up on something like Easyjet or Jet2 with everybody being foreign except you.
Still not been told by anyone of the carrier- you'd miss the sign parked on the check-in desk if you weren't looking for it and you were busy checking -in.
IMO , Monarch are being very sly oh and if you are going to Faro, you're going to be using Small Planet Airways with a sign parked next to the one for Malaga/Alicante

We've got here - the sun is shining- just having a spot of lunch and using the bar's wi-fi.
I'll start worrying about the return flight two weeks from now. I refuse to let Monarch screw my holiday up.

Sanji x

doe wrote:

Oh well the main thing is she got there safely. I know nothing about aircraft and airlines, does it mean she will be on the same ancient old crate on the way back or is it possible she will have a proper Monarch Plane

xxxx

AFAIK- unless a miracle happens - it will be the same old plane for the return journey.

Sanji x

Glad you arrived ok Sanji, have a great holiday

Sanji wrote:

doe wrote:

Oh well the main thing is she got there safely. I know nothing about aircraft and airlines, does it mean she will be on the same ancient old crate on the way back or is it possible she will have a proper Monarch Plane

xxxx

AFAIK- unless a miracle happens - it will be the same old plane for the return journey.

Sanji x

best not think about it too much Sanji no point in letting it wind you up as there is not really anything you can do about it. Best thing to do is have a great holiday.

xxxx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19678451

Just watched the video in the link above and wondered if it was an isolated incident, then came across this thread.

The guy talking, completely backs-up all you discovered about some of these aircraft, Sanji. Says it was the oldest aircraft he's ever flown in. Don't blame you for being angry, I certainly wouldn't fly with Monarch now.