Monarch Scheduled launches new Birmingham base and adds Madrid and Almeria
from ManchesterToday, low fare airline Monarch Scheduled announces that it is to launch a
new base at Birmingham International Airport, at the same time as adding
two new routes from Manchester.  The expansion represents a 30% increase in
the airline’s capacity and signals Monarch’s determination to bring its
unique low fare - high service operation to all the major gateways in the
UK.

Beginning in late April, the carrier will commence operations with daily
flights from Birmingham to both Malaga and Tenerife and intend to rapidly
expand the programme in future, with the intention of becoming the market
leader in the region.

In Manchester, it will be launching new routes to Madrid and Almeria as
well as adding a third daily flight to Malaga. The move significantly
enhances its city breaks and business travel portfolio from Manchester
after the carrier launched services to Barcelona and Gibraltar last year.

Today also marks a milestone for Monarch, as, with this announcement, its
scheduled service passengers this summer will account for more than half of
its business. Monarch Scheduled has already grown in size by 30% in the
last year and plans to match that growth again in 2005. Today’s expansion
brings Monarch Scheduled network to 22 routes.

Tim Jeans, managing director, Monarch Scheduled commented, “No other low
fare airline offers services from the UK’s three most important gateways -
London, Birmingham and Manchester. Birmingham is key to our growth next
year, as is our expansion into the ‘city’ markets with the addition of
Madrid. We’ve run off two competitors (bmibaby and Iberia) on Manchester -
Barcelona, and will grow traffic to Madrid by over 100% in our first year
alone.”

“This development represents a remarkable achievement as Monarch is the
only UK airline that has succeeded in transforming itself from a charter
carrier into a true low-cost contender.

“Monarch Scheduled is in a unique position in this market. There is a
plethora of no-frills airlines in the low cost market, but Monarch
Scheduled is different. It still offers fiercely competitive prices, but
with a superior service. This formula has been highly successful and we
have maintained an unusually high level of customer loyalty, which speaks
volumes about our product.”

With prices starting from as little as £39 one way from Birmingham to
Malaga including all taxes and charges, and fares include pre-bookable
allocated seating to avoid the last minute free-for-all, complimentary
daily newspapers and in-flight entertainment and a refreshing hot towel
service. Regular travellers are rewarded too, with a range of benefits
through the airline’s loyalty scheme Vantage Club.
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