Low fares airline Monarch has today announced further investment and growth at its Birmingham base.Just 14 months after its first flight from the Midlands, the airline is adding more aircraft and routes and creating over 50 new jobs for pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and engineers.

A new service to Ibiza joins the Monarch network for Summer 2007, with flights to Palma, Murcia and Alicante doubling in frequency. This will mean that 120 Monarch flights per week will operate from the airport. Monarch will also now have four Airbus A321 aircraft in its Birmingham fleet - an investment of over GBP200 million.

Highlights from the Summer 2007 schedule include

Ibiza ***New Route*** - up to five flights per week

Alicante - increases from three flights to eight flights per week

Palma - increases from one flight to eight flights per week

Murcia - increases from four flights per week to daily flights

Commenting on the expansion, managing director of Monarch’s scheduled services, Tim Jeans said, “The people in the Midlands have adopted Monarch as their airline. We have never known such a fantastic response to the launch of a new base. Passengers love our service and have kept coming back for more. In less than two years after launching flights from Birmingham, we will be the largest leisure airline in the region”.

Peter Vella, Business Development Director for Birmingham International Airport also commented, “This news is great for Midlands’ travellers because it will provide more choice at low prices with a reputable brand and all the frills. We look forward to welcoming this extra capacity at Birmingham next summer and working with Monarch’s fantastic team to give our customers the service and choice they deserve”.
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