Low cost airline Monarch today announced new flights to Turkey from Manchester Airport. Starting next May there will be two flights per week on a new service to Antalya on the Mediterranean coast. Two existing routes are adding frequency, with the service to Dalaman going up to eight flights per week from the current five and the service to Bodrum increasing two flights per week from the current one.
Liz Savage, managing director of Monarch Flights and Holidays, said: “Demand for Monarch holidays to Turkey grew over 200 per cent in 2009 and is set to increase further in 2010.” Luton-based Monarch has responded angrily to being named as the airline most likely to go bust by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.
The company denied it was in any financial difficulty and said the bookmaker was behaving irresponsibly. Tim Jeans, Monarch’s managing director, said: “For people to make a game out of betting when an enterprise that’s been around for 40 years will go bust is irresponsible. It’s not funny either because we employ nearly 3,000 people and they don’t want to be reading this.”
Paddy Power cut the odds on Monarch going bust from 50-1 to 4-1 favourite after taking more than 100 bets over Christmas. It would have to pay out £7,000 if the company collapsed.
Award winning airline Monarch is heading east in 2010 with the launch of a host of new flights to Turkey. Tipped once again as being a hotspot for British holiday makers looking for great value sun and fun, Monarch is launching new and additional flights to the key Turkish gateways of Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya in May 2010* and all are available to book now via www.monarch.co.uk.
Serving the Mediterranean, Turquoise and Aegean coasts which are home to the main tourist resorts of Side, Marmaris, Bodrum and Gumbet, Monarch flights start from £79 one way including taxes and charges.
New Monarch services to Turkey
Birmingham to Dalaman (Turquoise Coast) – 3 flights per week
Luton to Dalaman – 2 flights per week
Luton to Bodrum (Aegean Coast) – 2 flights per week
Manchester to Antalya (Mediterranean Coast) – 2 flights per week
Additional Monarch services to Turkey
Gatwick – Dalaman – increases from 7 flights per week to 10 flights per week
Gatwick – Bodrum – increases from 2 flights per week to 3 flights per week
Manchester – Dalaman – increases from 5 flights per week to 8 flights per week
Manchester to Bodrum – increases from 1 flight per week to 2 flights per week
Commenting on the launch of the new flights to Turkey, managing director of Monarch Flights and Holidays, Liz Savage said, “Demand for Monarch holidays to Turkey grew over 200% in 2009 and is set to increase further in 2010. The introduction of the new Monarch flights to Dalaman, Bodrum and Antalya, which will operate in addition to existing services from Gatwick and Manchester, supports the increased demand and will provide further choice and flexibility for customers looking to take advantage of this compelling, non-eurozone destination.
“Turkey offers fantastic value for money with holidaymakers and overseas property owners and when coupled with the onboard service offered on Monarch flights, which is perfectly suited for longer sectors and includes extra legroom seating, a great range of tasty hot and cold food, plus selected inflight entertainment, Turkey is an obvious destination of choice for 2010.”
Monarch currently operates a fleet of 31 aircraft, serving over 100 destinations world-wide. Services are split between scheduled and charter flights, with the airline carrying almost 7 million passengers per year. Monarch is the oldest airline in the UK still operating under its original brand name, and will this year enter its 42nd year of flying. Full details on all Monarch services can be found on www.monarch.co.uk.
