Holidaymakers hit by airline's demise

PABest

Empty check-in desks at Gatwick Airport after Monarch Airlines collapsed into administration resulting in future bookings and holidays being cancelled and the government asking the CAA to charter more than 30 planes to bring customers overseas back to the UK. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday October 2, 2017. See PA story TRANSPORT Monarch. Photo credit should read: Lauren Hurley/PA Wire — PABest Empty check-in desks at Gatwick Airport after Monarch Airlines collapsed into administration resulting in future bookings and holidays being cancelled and the government asking the CAA to charter more than 30 planes to bring customers overseas back to the UK. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday October 2, 2017. See PA story TRANSPORT Monarch. Photo credit should read: Lauren Hurley/PA Wire

Hundreds of thousands of people are set to be affected by the shock closure of Monarch Airlines, which was announced today following a £291m loss for the company last year.

Janet Sherman, 58, from Marton, was supposed to be jetting off to Turkey with Monarch next Tuesday – but now believes she will have to cancel her holiday.

She said: “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ve got a 16-day holiday booked and I’ll be spending it in cold, rainy Blackpool.

“Everything is up in the air at the moment. I’m one of 300,000 people. I can’t see them finding new flights for 300,000 people.

“I have to ring the person I’m travelling with and tell her we’re not going.

“I’d like to know what’s happening from my tour operator. Am I going to be fully compensated and get my money back?

“I look at it today and I feel very miserable, but by tomorrow hopefully I’ll come up with a plan.”

Monarch, which began trading 50 years ago, is the largest ever airline company to collapse in the UK.

Planes are being sent by the Civil Aviation Authority to return 110,000 holidaymakers left stranded overseas by the company’s demise.

Hotelier Kevin Twiss, 33, who lives on Albert Road, found his Tenerife stag do plans in turmoil after the company announced its closure.

He said: “You don’t expect it. They are quite a big company so I didn’t think it would be an issue. I might be one of the lucky ones because it was a package holiday that I had booked, so I should be able to get my money back.

“It’s an inconvenience because I have got to try to sort it and chances are it’s going to be more expensive now.”