Monarch Flights to/from Tobago

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:22 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 22 October 2002

Readers regularly write to me reporting difficulty in obtaining information about Monarch flights from London Gatwick to Tobago and the subject has been mentioned several times in the forum. I have updated our Airline pages to provide more information about this service. Monarch is a charter airline and the Monarch flights are, in general, only available as part of package holidays. You cannot book flights directly with Monarch. However, flight-only seats are available from Golden Caribbean of Crawley in West Sussex (Tel: 01342-316900). Your local travel agent can also contact them on your behalf. Monarch offers two classes of seating – Standard Economy and Premium Economy (some times called Premier). The former represent the cheapest flights from the UK. I can personally recommend the latter, which is about the same cost as BA Economy, but does provide improved legroom. Upgrades from economy to Premier are available at an additional cost of £139 per person, each way, at any time (including during check-in), subject to availability.

Malc C · Post by **Malc C** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:23 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 29 October 2002

I have just made a reservation for a Monarch flight in March 2003 at a very reasonable rate through Dial-a-Flight. Telephone in the UK 0870-333-4488. They only fly to Tobago from Gatwick on a Thurs and a Sat. The flights stop off at Grenada each way, but I'm assured that you don't have to disembark.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:24 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 31 October 2002

Hi Malc I've only done the Monarch Gatwick/Tobago flight once - last January - but we did have to dismebark at Grenada. They turn the aircraft round there for the direct return to the UK after calling at Tobago, so you're on the ground for around 1½ hours - and you do have to disembark because they do a full clean and re-stocking of the aircraft. Having said that, the situation may have changed since last January. Perhaps somebody who's done the Monarch flight more recently could confirm or deny. Either way, I still reckon it represents the best value and I'm booked for my return next Jan/Feb. Mind you, I think I'll be trying the Virgin flights the following year. Have a great trip and (as I always say) please share your views and impressions of Tobago with everyone through the forum, here.

Lesley, UK · Post by **Lesley, UK** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:26 pm

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 01 November 2002

Hi Malc, I am due to take this flight this month...you DO disembark and you will be at the airport for about 1 1/2 hours...when you reboard I am told by clients that you do not always have priority seating, this applies to the premium seats also, as the people checked in from trinidad will already have had these asigned prior to the arrival of the aircraft.

The return flight with monarch is a direct flight to uk, so it is only the grenada outbound that will cause any inconvenience.(i am a travel agent so this is not a guess) hope you have a pleasant flight anyway.

Kind Regards, lesley

Jacqui · Post by **Jacqui** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 7:15 pm

I have to disagree with you on this one! I travelled in February and did not disembark. They only fuel the plane at grenada. however, people joining the flight at grenada then have to disembark at tobago whilst they clean and stock up. My boyfriend does this flight on a regular basis and has not disembarked at grenada from London (5 years travelling, 3 to 4 times a year). We are going again in July and I will check again!! My boyfriend went 2 weeks ago and did not get off either!! So I think unless there is a major problem you do not get off with monarch/JMC.

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 7:55 pm

Hi Jacqui

When we flew out in January, I admit the captain of our JMC flight told us that he didn't know whether we were going to disembark at Grenada or not. In the event we didn't disembark. However, we certainly did in 2000 and 2001. Anyway, it's a point that needs to be cleared up so I have just written to Golden Caribbean - the main charterer of the flight - asking them to confirm the situation. Hopefully we shall have a reply within the next 24 hours - either through myself or direct.

Malc C · Post by **Malc C** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 8:11 am

Just to further complicate the issue we flew out with Monarch on 27th March and definitely had to disembark for about 1.5 hrs at Grenada airport (or was it a bus station

) whilst the plane was cleaned and refueled. The flight back from Tobago was direct to Gatwick.
By the way we took up the suggestion of someone in the forum, who's name escapes me, regarding reserving the extra leg room seats. A definite advantage at £60 per person extra for the return trip - apart from the extra leg room it effectively means that you practically have a reserved seat - no need to book in early to make sure two of you get seats together etc. Although you don't get the upgraded service as compared to Premier class its definitely a cheaper option.
Malc C

Post by **Steve Wooler** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 12:13 pm

OK - I've just had the definitive answer from Golden Caribbean, the main charterers of the Monarch/JMC flights between Gatwick and London.

The say:

At present clients are asked to disembark in Grenada if the flight is on Monarch. On the few JMC it was in Tobago. On the SKB flight we do not have that info yet.

SKB is the airport code for St Kitts. Monarch's Saturday flights will be via St Kitts rather than Grenada.

Hope this clarifies the position. As I understand it, the contract with JMC was only a temporary thing and all flights are now back with Monarch's own aircraft, so all flights will disembark at Grenada (approx 1½ hours).

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Thu May 22, 2003 11:11 am

Just to let you know that we used Monarch (not a pleasurable experience - I or my partner will provide further details in a subsequent post) and the routing on the Outward flight (Saturday, 3rd May) was

LGW-SKN-GRE-TAB-LGW (with Tobago passengers disembarking at Grenada for cleaning and catering)

Then the Return flight (Saturday, 17th May) was

LGW-SKN-TAB-LGW (with SKN passengers disembarking at Tobago for cleaning and catering)

There seems to be no consistency!!