Monarch considering return to longhaul ops

Monarch Airlines (ZB, London Luton) is considering shifting its focus to the longhaul market as part of a massive restructuring of the UK leisure carrier's operations.



According to Sky News, over the past several months, Monarch and KPMG have been looking at various options which include the sale or restructuring of its short-haul services through a joint venture or feeder deal with another airline.

Sources told the UK television channel that Monarch had wanted to wrap up a potential deal as early as possible. The carrier sees the longhaul niche as more profitable given emerging price wars in the regional European market.

For its part, Monarch ended widebody operations just over two years ago with the return of its last A330-200 taking place in May 2015. The move coincided with a shift in business plan following the airline's buy-out by Greybull Capital LLP in October 2014. At the time, the private equity investment firm announced Monarch would transition into a "premium budget-carrier" while ending all long-haul and charter flights. As it stands, Monarch's fleet currently consists of ten A320-200s, twenty-five A321-200s, and one B737-800 (being used as a crew trainer ahead of the delivery of its first B737 MAX 8s).

Earlier this year, anna.aero reported on speculative talks between Monarch and AirTanker (9L, Brize Norton) over the wet-lease of three A330-200s in 2018. Monarch would reportedly base the aircraft out of London Gatwick, Birmingham Int'l, and Manchester Int'l for use in developing longhaul flights. Neither party responded to ch-aviation's request for comment on the matter.