Golden Caribbean / Monarch Airlines service

[Steve Wooler]

I now have some updated information on the Monarch Airlines service to Tobago.

The service sees a welcome resurgence of the old partnership, with Golden Caribbean organising and administering the tickets and Monarch operating the aircraft. In fact the service is almost identical to that which they offered before Golden Caribbean dropped Monarch and offered the service to ill-fated Excel. They have, however, taken onboard the constant criticism of tight legroom. A couple of rows of seating have been taken out of the back of the economy section, allowing the legroom between remaining rows to be extended. I am told that the minimum seat pitch is now 31 inches – the same as BA and Virgin standard economy.

The service will fly from Gatwick South each Wednesday from 17th December 2008. Although direct to Tobago, the service is not non-stop. The outbound service stops at Grenada. However, the 8-hour overnight return from Tobago is non-stop to Gatwick.

The service will operate a two class service of Economy and Premium Economy in an Airbus A330. Seat pitch in Premium Economy will be 34-inch – the same as previously offered.

In common with all the airlines, prices are heavily surcharged for peak periods like Christmas and Easter. However, I understand that the average standard economy price for this coming winter is £420 per person – and £620 for premium economy. Given the hike in fuel prices this year, we can’t complain at those prices!

Tickets are now on sale from Golden Caribbean by telephone (0845-085-8080) and will be available online through their website (http://www.GoldenCaribbean.co.uk) within the next couple of days. Tickets will also eventually be available through the Monarch Airlines website.

We wish Golden Caribbean and Monarch every success with the new service. Family health problems mean that we are unable to make any plans at the moment, but we shall certainly be flying with this service on our next trip to Tobago.

[Ronald]

Hurray!

[Kevin Pallant]

Ronald,
Is that Hurray because Steve isn't making plans to go back or because Monarch are?

Steve,
Sorry to hear you can't make any plans and I hope your circumstances and family health issues improve very soon.

[Ronald]

I think I prefer to choose you second offer, Kevin!

Steve does, as always, provide us with a lot of good, useful information. As we in Sweden doesn´t have any direct flight, a new choise is very nice to have, even if its mean a overnight stay in Gatwick. We have Lufthansa/Condor, BA or Virgin Atlantic via a Travel Agent.
Ronald

[Stefan]

We bought tickets in june, flying from gatwick with BA didnt cost us more than about a $1200 US return ticket per person (and at the time the dollar was real cheap in sweden). Not sure exactly what the going rate of the British pound is but £500 sounds like the same amount (about 750 euro).

[SandraK]

Have waited for Monarch to get on line with this service, need to book but when I logged into customer rating was not impressed. Do we all feel book with Monarch or should we use BA or Virgin ?

[David Watkins]

Sandra,I think you have to book thru' Golden Carib.The flight will be on Wednesdays,the first will be from Gatwick S on 17 Dec 08
David

[Robert T]

Sandra
Now you can book with Virgin for the same price if you act fast.

[Dr Stefan Rustscheff]

Sandra, BA is a quality airline which takes care of You if something goes wrong, and they have sales on their premium cabins in april for departures may-aug. May and june in Tobago are the best months. Less people and still not much rain. Even in economy BA generally has a graceful service with good food. And You collect points for free flights. We always use BA to the Caribbean. And, no, I do not work for them

[Gisela Grell]

Hi,

I went with Golden Caribbean two times and was very pleased of the service. Even with the flight from Germany to Gatwick it was cheaper than Condor direct flight from Frankfurt. I will surely check their offers.
Steve, I'm sorry to hear about your family health problems and wish you all the best. Hope to meet you in Castara again!

Cheers
Gisela

[SandraK]

Thank you!
David
Monarch are now able to offer flights on line. It was the feed back from passengers, sorry "clients " that scared me a little. Obviously this is a new route for them so who can say but a little wary from things I have read - accepting that people only comment when things go wrong, still not too sure.

Robert
Have checked out Virgin - yes, good deals - thank you.

Stefan
We always use BA when possible and at the moment Premium Economy is very affordable. Unfortunately our dates have to be a tad flexible due to work commitments which can then add vast amounts of cash.

[Ben W]

Have waited for Monarch to get on line with this service, need to book but when I logged into customer rating was not impressed. Do we all feel book with Monarch or should we use BA or Virgin ?

BA> Virgin >>>> Monarch, in my experience, now that they have the extra legroom though you can probably take out a few of the greater than signs!

In reality there will be little difference between their economy services, personally I much prefer BAs service to Virgin's, Im sure its a matter of personal opinion though, although it does seem that BA get far better reviews than Virgin on Sky Trax. Monarch will lack behind these two, esp on an Entertainment basis, as far as Im aware they have no personal TVs on their aircraft and the choice will be far more limited.

I'd go with whoever offers the best deal at the time, I would personally pay 50-80 quid more to fly with BA over the other two just because of my preference and would pay a small excess for VS over Monarch.

Another thing to consider is that BA and VS are likely to be better dealing with delays etc.

[Gisela Grell]

Hi there,

I booked my flight from Germany with Easjet to Gatwick and from Gatwick with Golden Caribbean/Monarch Premium Economy to Togabo and back and still save 200 Euro against the Condor flight Economy from Germany to Tobago. Excel was ok for me last time. I hope Monarch isn't worse. I will let you know in April when I come back

Cheers
Gisela (97 days to go)

[Gisela Grell]

Hi,

can anybody give me a short impression of a Monarch flight to Tobago? Not, that I would cancel my flight but just to get prepared.

Thank you.

[Susanne Thomsen]

Hi Giesella.

WE are going the 3.th off february (one week to go) with Easy jet from Copenhagen to Gatwick, and then day after with Golden Caribbean to Tobago, and then we are back the 19. th of Febr. Then i can tell you the good or bad things. Hopefully good things.

Iff i Go on internet in Castara, i will give an update for the flight.

Susanne

[Gisela Grell]

Hi Susanne,

enjoy Castara and have a Carib on me at Coddringtons. Tell him I will pay it in March
Last year I met a really nice lady from Denmark, Annette, and this year I will meet her again in Castara.
She will go there for four weeks, I only can make it for three weeks but better than nothing.

Have a nice flight, a wonderful holiday and tell me your experiences.

Cheers
Gisela

[Susanne Thomsen]

Hi Gisela.

I will do that, And Iwill by Coddrintons Coconut rum and some pineapple juice, make some icecubes and I will love it.
Yes there are more peoble from Denmark,and we have some freinds there now, and 4 outher couples in last year have been there because of our pictures and good expirienses. Hope you understand my very bad english. hehe.

Susanne 8 days to go

[Gisela Grell]

Hey Susan,

so the island will be spread with Danish people? As far as I know them they are really great and funny and know how to party

Sorry to miss you this time but one day we will all come together and have the biggest party the island have ever seen (How about July 2011?)

Enjoy the rum and good liming

Cheers
Gisela 51 days to go

PS: Your English is better than mine I guess

[Andy D]

Hi,

can anybody give me a short impression of a Monarch flight to Tobago? Thank you.

Yep! Here goes! [*]Runs around living room with arms outstretched making plane noises[*] How's that?
...i thank you!

[Lisa Keith]

Normally I wouldn't bother with a one or two word reply.... but...

MUAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!! Andy, that was hysterical - nice one!!!