Airlines UK comment on the announcement made by the Civil Aviation Authority that Monarch has ceased trading

October 2nd, 2017

Commenting on the announcement made today by the Civil Aviation Authority that Monarch has ceased trading, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, the trade body for UK airlines, said:

“Today is a very sad day for the UK airline industry. Monarch has been taking British families away on holiday for almost 50 years and has been a well-loved brand and stalwart of UK aviation.

“Our thoughts are with the several thousand employees who face an uncertain future, and the hundreds of thousands of passengers who are currently abroad or have booked a trip and were looking forward to travelling with Monarch. The CAA and Department for Transport are working round the clock and are doing all they can to arrange the professional and speedy repatriation of stranded passengers back to the UK.  

“Today’s news goes to show the ferociously competitive and challenging environment airlines currently operate in. I sincerely hope what has befallen Monarch gives politicians pause for thought about the challenges and costs facing the airline industry, and that at all times they should be champions of a sector that is a massive UK success story and which provides untold advantages to this country in terms of the jobs and connectivity it enables.”