This was flight MON 7229 due to depart Malaga at 21:30, arriving London Gatwick at 23:00, a late flight, but we had someone picking us up from the airport and as we live in Southampton, this meant we will not get home until at least 02:00.

Check in opened at 19:30 like expected and it come up on the check in screens, "Flight delayed more information at 21:00"

By the time we cleared security and had something to eat, it was 21:00 but no announcement so I decided to stroll through the airport. I passed a flight information screen that said Boarding 03:20 and then I asked the rep what was going on, she said our aircraft has a technical problem and a replacement is being sent out, we will provide you with a €15 refreshment voucher which can be used in all the airport catering outlets, great! only problem is the cafe upstairs is the only place open 24 hours, no duty free, no shopping, nothing. Time crept on, many passengers were sleeping as come 01:30 we were the only people in the airport. 05:00 came and our flight was called to board at gate C52.

We boarded at 05:20 but didn't depart until 06:15 due to missing passengers as they were asleep and the airline didn't want to depart without them as that wouldn't be fair having just suffered an 8 hour delay.

When the captain made the usual announcement, he explained fully why we were delayed. Our A300 had broken down in Gatwick and as it was 2 hours since they were trying to fix the problem and still haven't, a replacement was needed. The only aircraft available had just taken off for Menorca so they had to wait for that to return, the 2 pilots on that flight who were ours had plans that after returning from Menorca they then fly to Manchester and that's the end of their shift, it wasn't until they arrived in Gatwick that they got the news they have to do a return flight to Malaga to pick us up.

After take off the crew said we will serve a full hot breakfast, however if you do not want this, leave your tray table up.

We landed in Gatwick at 07:35, 8 hours 35min late and didn't get home until 10:30, no prizes for guessing where I went when I got home!!

I would fly Monarch again because apart from this, I have never experienced any problems, the lack of service and information in Malaga was the fault of Avro, the flight's tour operator, not Monarch and in the end we had a full explanation.