Monarch Airlines collapse leaves 860,000 passengers stranded and 1,858 jobs lost

Monarch Airlines, the fifth‑largest UK carrier, ceased operations on 2 October 2017, abruptly grounding its fleet of 33 aircraft. About 750 000 customers had future bookings that were cancelled and another 110 000 travellers were abroad when the shutdown occurred, totaling roughly 860 000 affected passengers. The UK Civil Aviation Authority organised emergency repatriation flights for stranded travellers. At the same time, the airline dismissed 1 858 staff members.

Two years later, Icelandic low‑cost carrier WOW Air also shut down, ending flights on 28 March 2019 after failing to secure new financing. Approximately 4 000 passengers were left stranded at airports, and around 1 000 employees lost their jobs. Founder Skúli Mogensen announced the closure following unsuccessful negotiations with Icelandair and Indigo Partners. The collapse underscored the vulnerability of budget airlines to fuel price spikes and intense competition.