Monarch airlines to open base at East Midlands Airport

PA

Monarch airlines is opening a new base at Castle Donington airport, following the departure of budget airline, bmibaby.

Monarch started operating flights from the East Midlands Airport (EMA) today, initially to Malaga, Alicante, Faro, Tenerife and Lanzarote. Two airbus A321 aircraft will be based at the airport and, next summer, Ibiza will be added to the destinations.

Managing director Kevin George told The Nottingham Post: "Last year we made a decision that we were to be a scheduled airline and we wanted to grow our network, currently operating from four UK bases.

"Our sights included the East Midlands, but bmibaby was there. It was a good competitor and was meeting the demands of the market in the area. Sadly, when it became clear bmibaby was not to continue, we seized on the opportunity to expand into the East Midlands."

He added: "The plan is that the network will grow. Monarch overall flies pretty well to all the leisure destinations of Europe and north Africa. That includes Spain, Portugal and the Canaries, Turkey, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Egypt. Other destinations in the fulness of time will be added once we understand the market and the demand."

BBC News reports that the last bmibaby flight will depart from the airport on 9 September and it will cease to operate from EMA the following day.

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