Flights and Upgrades
The 'special offer' prices are based on the direct charter flight with Monarch that leaves Gatwick every Sunday evening. On board services include complimentary unlimited soft drinks, headsets and lunch or dinner with wine. As it is not possible to pre-book seats, you should try and arrive at check-in as early as possible.
Arrive in the Maldives in style by upgrading to the premium cabin. The supplement is up to £419 per person return, and includes the following benefits. Please note that these seats are booked up well in advance.
- Separate check-in
- Executive lounge at Gatwick
- 30kg luggage allowance (as opposed to 20kg in economy)
- Dedicated premium cabin at front of aircraft
- Seat pitch 4 inches greater than economy
- Wider seats than economy and with adjustable headrests
- Upgraded meals
- Complimentary bar throughout flight (excludes champagne)
- In arm or seat back video in-flight entertainment system
- You can check in just 90 minutes prior to flight at Gatwick
Alternatively, you may wish to fly by one of the scheduled airlines, the most convenient of which is Sri Lankan because they have good flight times and fly direct to the Maldives on the outbound service. Here are a few pros and cons.
- More flexibility on dates - although they do not fly every day, you do not have to travel out on a Sunday and back on a Monday which means that 10 night holidays are possible for instance
- Refreshments served every 45 minutes between meals, 18 movie and TV channels on your personal seatback TV, moving map of the aircraft location, and on some flights a forward camera which offers passengers a stunning pilot's eye view of everything from take-off and landing, to the spectacular scenery en route. A downward camera captures the sights directly below the aircraft, particularly useful when flying over cities or mountain ranges.
- As this is a scheduled airline, the service, comfort and punctuality will generally be far superior than for charter airlines
- The two disadvantages are that on the return leg, you will need to change planes in Colombo and that the holiday cost will be higher. Many of the 'late deals' are only available on the Monarch flight, and therefore occasionally there will seem to be a hefty premium for flying by a scheduled airline.
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