Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

My apologies, it is Ciego de Avila (AVI) that has closed. Varadero(VRA) is still open.

rgrds
Wingflaps

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

It is only planned to fly for three weeks. I checked on the aircraft activity display screen today and they aren’t positioning sectors between LGW/GLA/LGW (I previously mentioned positioning). A meal will be served on these sectors too.

I’ll double check on Monday that it is VRA that has closed. I was updating the Cuban landing fees a couple of weeks ago, when VRA wasn’t listed. I believe they have transferred most equipment to CCC i.e. fire cover, handling equipment etc.

The A330 will be in ‘old’ colours too. The next aircraft to appear in the new Monarch colours will be G-OZBG an A321, in early May.

If you’ve got any other questions, drop me an email. You can find this in my ‘profile’.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

>I work in the planning and sales department at Monarch
>Airlines. It is 100% definately planned on an Airbus
>330-200.

Hi,

Many thanks for the info … VERY interesting.

What I can’t understand is WHY the flights stop at the beginning of August, right in the middle of holiday season ? Weird…

>It is a short series of flights and I believe it is a LGW
>based A330. The aircraft will position to Glasgow to fly
>direct to Holguin.
>(LGW/P-GLA-HOG-GLA/P-LGW).

So the flight from Gatwick won’t be via Glasgow, but will instead be direct ?

>Varadero airport is now closed to International traffic, so
>no more charters will fly there, but the Cubans have opened
>up Cayo Coco (CCC) as an alternative to Varadero (VRA).

This is the strangest (& most informative bit) of your post. I booked a holiday to Cuba last night, with First Choice flying Monarch LGW->HOG. (Glasgow would have been ideal, but I’m not flying until 27 Aug). The errata screen warns that there is a stop in Varadero for embark/dismebark, then onto Holguin (& then back to Gatwick). So that’s NOT what’s happening, then, if Varadero is shut ?

And if you’re going on holiday to Varadero, which is the complete opposite end of Cuba from Cayo Coco, you’re surely facing a nightmare. I understand that that journey by road is not easily undertaken, thus raising the possibility of an internal transfer flight on one of the infamous Cuban/Russian Antonov’s … ye gods!

Oh, how happy am I that we are staying at a resort in the Holguin area (Guardalavaca) 🙂

Since you work for Monarch, I have no doubt that your information is correct, but I researched our holiday pretty thoroughly before booking, and this is the first time that I’ve heard of Varedero being closed to charters.

Thanks a lot for posting , it’s really appreciated. I’m going to try & find out a bit more about this , will post if I find anything.

Gary

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 23-01-03 AT 08:44 PM (GMT)]Someone recently said about Air 2000 I think it was that cheated the system slightly. Transatlantic flights supposedly not being permitted from Glasgow and they made a stop somewhere first and then carried on. Technically, not departing Glasgow.

Could charters not do this too? Fly to Holguin and then onwards to Varadero. Then the flight becomes a domestic one.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

I work in the planning and sales department at Monarch Airlines. It is 100% definately planned on an Airbus 330-200. We have two A332’s in the fleet and the registration will either be G-SMAN or G-EOMA. These aircraft carry 374 seats, 323 economy and 51 premium.

It is a short series of flights and I believe it is a LGW based A330. The aircraft will position to Glasgow to fly direct to Holguin.
(LGW/P-GLA-HOG-GLA/P-LGW).

Varadero airport is now closed to International traffic, so no more charters will fly there, but the Cubans have opened up Cayo Coco (CCC) as an alternative to Varadero (VRA).

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

I wasn’t there unfortunately but MyTravel have 3-3-3 don’t they? I guess it would be the same configuration.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

>It is indeed an A330-200, at least it was in March 2001 when
>my parents flew the route.

Hi,

Thanks for that info – any idea of seats ? (3-3-3 or 2-5-2 maybe ?)

Gary

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

>Anyone heard about a proposed Glasgow-Cuba service supposed
>to be starting up for the summer season ?

Hi,

Yeah, I read that too. Apparently it is only from June to 1st August (not much to me unfortaunetly, since we aren’t flying until end of August).

I asked in Thomas Cook (travel agents) yesterday, they knew nothing {why is this not a surprise? 🙂 }

Only flying to Holguin apparently, thus NOT serving the main tourist resort of Varadero.

Gary

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

yeah, I think I heard it was definately happening, with the recent twinning of Glasgow and Havanna… but I can’t remember any details.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

It is indeed an A330-200, at least it was in March 2001 when my parents flew the route.

Very small airport and when they went, the aircraft coming in had to do a go around.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

Anyone heard about a proposed Glasgow-Cuba service supposed to be starting up for the summer season ? I read a line in the paper last week but it didn’t go into any deatil.

RE: Monarch Airlines to Cuba (Holguin)

99% cert of an A330