Cheap is NOT always cheerful (Monarch Airlines)

Member Name: MeganFF

Product:	Monarch Airlines
Date:	06/07/09 (165 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, gets you there

Disadvantages: Personal space doesn't exist!

I had flown with Monarch to Canada many many years ago, so when I discovered that Monarch would be flying my man and me to Cyprus, I didn't give it a second thought.

Mmm

Check in at Gatwick, and Paphos were both friendly, efficient and polite. I think the set up in Paphos was better than Gatwick, but I'd guess that's because they expect to get the whole flight arriving in one go. However, I think Gatwick could adopt some of the organization from abroad, as there always seems to be as many queues as desks open.

Everything was going well until we actually boarded the plane.

I guess we'd gotten spoiled by flying with the likes of Thomson, First Choice Virgin etc.

Let me explain. Getting on that plane was like squeezing sardines into a tin. The seats were so tight, both in leg room (not too much bother to be being just 5'4" but blokey being 5'11" noticed hugely) and in seat width! I never knew they made skinny seats before, but that Monarch plane certainly had them. Now before you picture me as round as a ball, let me state here than I am a size 16, but it wasn't just me than felt the squeeze. My man has a fit 34" waist (being a bloke it all shrinks down from there) and it was him that first commented how small they were.

The stewerds were polite and kept busy. Plenty of opportunity to spend money onboard, while good for some, those attempting to watch the film, this was less good.

For short-haul flights, I've never been tempted to watch the film before. Going out they showed Valkerie (apologise if I spelt it wrong), and coming back it was the chick-flick He's Just Not That In To You. When they annouced that one, I thought I'd give it a bash. Had fancied seeing it, but Bloke claimed it was too girly. I really wish I hadnt bothered. Nothing to do with the film, you understand. They have a small screen pop down every ten rows or so, in the middle of the plane. Being one row back from a screen, but with a window seat (lucky me, except it was dark!) I had to try to concentrate on the next screen up. Being that these screens must've been the size of my laptop screen, this was not easy. And when they started selling drinks and then bringing food round, watching that screen became near-on impossible.

And dont even get me started on those damn annoying annoucements! They over-ride the film, so you miss bits of dialogue, and why do they always have to be so loud??? Blew my hearing everytime! My ear is still ringing now.

Bloke has said he is not ever doing this again. So i guess either long-haul (leg room is more as standard) or cruises from now on. Best get saving

Summary: Fly the best you can afford