The collapse of Monarch Airlines is affecting everyone from its employees to its passengers and other airlines.
The overnight announcement that the UK-based airline
would cease operations came as a shock, prompting the company to stop selling tickets today. Additionally, the flights of over 750,000 people were suddenly cancelled due to Monarch Airlines’ announcement.
The company sent an email to employees informing them of the end of the line for them with the company, as 2,100 employees risk losing their jobs. A further 110,000 people who bought round-trip tickets to a holiday or business trip and back are stranded elsewhere in Europe and other places in the world.
These citizens will be repatriated to the UK through 34 specially-chartered planes over the coming two weeks. The announcement came Monday at 4 a.m. GMT, with some people informed that their flights were cancelled only minutes before leaving the UK.
Monarch Airlines was the longest-running UK airline until today’s announcement. Administrators and unions implored other airlines to buy up parts of its business moving forward.
“We are putting together, at very short notice and for a period of two weeks, what is effectively one of the UK’s largest airlines to manage this task,” CAA chief executive, Andrew Haines said. “We ask customers to bear with us as we work around the clock to bring everyone home.”
Travelers won’t have to pay anything extra to return to the UK.