biioniic

How doesn't Monarch have mobile phone boarding passes yet? I am due to fly Monarch in a few weeks and am checking in to discover that they don't issue mobile phone boarding passes! They have a blog on their website saying that mobile phone boarding passes will be available 'very soon' albeit they're unable to give a specific date - this was in February of last year!

KLouis

Perhaps because they have other things to worry about. At any rate, it's not the end of the world, is it?

biioniic

I didn't say it was the end of the world? Must I not ask a question because it's not the end of the world if I don't it? Practically every airline in Europe issues mobile phone boarding passes, and Monarch has failed to follow along. They might have other things to worry about however that doesn't mean they should neglect working on issuing mobile phone boarding passes after saying it's very soon to release - a year ago!

WorldLux

Lots of small European airlines out there, that don't offer electronic boarding pass (or even online check-in for that matter). Same goes for a certain number of charter airlines and airlines focusing on leisure destinations.

And even the big names are lacking in that department. BA boarding passes are not showing the gate number in Apple Wallet.

The ones issued by American Airlines are IMHO the most thought out electronic boarding passes: They feature all the essential informations, do reliable auto-updates (e.g. status of the flight, gate, Tsa Pre status,...) and automatically void themselves.

KLouis

Of course you are entitled to ask anything you want, as long as you stay within the frames outlines by FT. And you (or I, in this case) are entitled to answer anything you want as long as you stay within the frames outlined by FT's rules.

irishguy28

Bucket-and-spade type airlines tend not to invest in the trappings of business travel.

4004

Yeah, probably more to do with the business model and targeted customers, than anything else. I wouldn't expect it for another year-2

ajeleonard

Its a small, leisure focused airline with a demographic that doesn't demand it. If it (bizarrely) bothers you then don't fly them

David-A

It is only very recently that you have been able to checkin online if you don't want to pay for a seat choice (i.e. allocated automatically).

Previously only passenger paying for a seat choice could checkin online (and this itself has not been available that long).

Now Monarch are not a small airline, so if it made financial sense to have been available sooner, I'm sure it would have been - reduces demand and staffing of airport desks.

But having said they are not small, they are not huge either - a large number of their decisions have been restricted by limitations of the platform they are using (which predates paid seating).

Anyway mobile BPs are coming to iOS app apparently (the current iOS app is an embarrassment).

However, I understand it might already be available for the recently updated android app?


(Don't however checkin with monarch until you need to - as not only flight changes, but even bags can't be added online once checked in. Hence I look forward to the iOS app. My next monarch flight is not for a couple of weeks, I will try the Android app that time).

David-A

Actually there is quite high demand from the demographic to be honest, it includes many route regulars.

Indeed while Monarch does gets a leisure surge and makes good money from it, it also has a much higher than many would expect level of 'route regular' travellers flying back and forth on many of their routes. Far higher than many other airlines who are viewed in the same segment.

The route network is also not just med focused anymore, a number of new central europe destinations, but the bulk of the regulars - people flying multiple times a month back and forth, for years, are on the routes they have served longer.

David-A

Circumstances changed, hence was entirely reasonable all expenditure of that kind went on hold.

Do you have access to an android device? I understand it might (just) be available now on that.

Nathan James Biggs

I agree 100% with original message. It's terrible they don't offer a mob boarding pass. And from what I can see you can't print one either with needed scan code to advance into departures lounge. As a result I have arrived early to airport and as I write this am stuck on a concrete bench in the check-in hall. Their mob app and site just say this facility is "coming soon". From what I have googled this is going to be like when we were waiting for GnR to drop Chinese Democracy. Terrible.