Just returned a couple of days ago from Calis. Flew with Monarch. Outbound flight on time BUT return flight delayed!! We arrived at Dalaman airport Sunday evening at about 7.00 pm for the scheduled return flight at 21.10 hrs. the queue for check in was horrendous! We joined the end and waited for check in to open. After half an hour there was still no sign of anyone manning the desks. It was obvious now that the flight was not going to take off on time. After another 15 minutes or so, a rep arrived to inform us that the flight was delayed due to the first officer being taken ill after take off from Birmingham and that they had returned back to the UK. We were then told that the flight would not depart until the following day. We would all be put up at a hotel overnight and to wait at the check in desk for further information. After another wait of about an hour, the rep returned to tell us that coaches were on there way to transfer us to the Dalaman Hilton. Two coaches duly arrived (even though the flight was fully booked) there was a scramble of passengers to get on the coaches. We managed to get on the second coach and after half an hour arrived at the Hilton. Meanwhile, the remaining passengers were left waiting at Dalaman for the coaches to return to pick them up. Check in at the hotel was fairly quick considering the sudden arrival of a couple of hundred extra guests. The hotel itself was good but no food was available for anyone until midnight. We did however have the opportunity to have a drink at the bar, free of charge. We went to the restaurant at midnight and were amazed at the vast array of food available. We certainly did not go hungry but would have preferred to eat earlier. But beggars can't be choosers. We slept fairly well and were told to report to reception in the morning to get an update on the return flight. Breakfast again was an amazing variety of food. We had a very susbstantial breakfast. We then went to reception to be told we would be picked up at 11.30 am for our return. We waited at reception and ONE coach arrived at 11.30. We got on the coach and then made our way back to the airport. The queues to get in to the airport were horrendous. We eventually got through the first security point and went to the check in desk displayed. We waited and waited (we had been told the flight was due to take off at 15.00 hrs) 1.30 came and no sign of anyone manning the desks. Mmmmm, we thought, no way will this flight depart on time. After another half hour wait, staff finally arrived and opened the check in desks. We were at the front of one of the queues and presented our passports to get our boarding passes. Credit to Monarch, they had informed the check in staff NOT to charge anyone if they were over weight on the check in luggage! The computer system then crashed!! After another delay we were finally given our boarding passes. We made our way to the gate that was displayed. After a while we boarded the bus to take us to the aircraft which was at a stand at the domestic side of the airport. All the passengers had boarded and we were "pushed" back from the stand. We then sat there for a further half an hour on the taxi runway. The captain informed us that the delay was due to the control tower disputing the flight route. We finally took off, much to the relief of all on board. We arrived at Birmingham some 20 hours later than scheduled. I had paid for parking at the airport and on exiting was asked for an extra payment because I had overstayed my time! No choice but to pay. Sorry I have rambled on a bit but It was out of the airlines control that the first officer became ill after take off. ALL credit to Monarch with the way they handled the situation. Even though the return was tiring it could have been much much worse. I will certainly have no hesitation flying with Monarch in the future. Would we have received the same offer of accommodation from other airlines? VERY doubtful!!!!
