BOLTON Monarch passengers have been forced to scramble for replacement flights following the airline’s abrupt collapse.

Around 860,000 passengers have lost bookings and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is dispatching more than 30 planes to retrieve around 110,000 holidaymakers, in what Transport Secretary Chris Grayling called the “biggest peacetime repatriation” effort.

Gary Scott, 37, a youth support worker from Ainsworth Lane, Tonge Moor, is currently in Lanzarote with his partner Becky McCormick, who works as a PCSO.

Mr Scott said: “We’re not due to fly out until this time tomorrow, but as it stands our flight hasn’t as yet been rearranged. With all the advice I have seen I am hopeful there won’t be much change, although we won’t know until we turn up at Arrecife Airport. At the moment we’ve just been told to keep our eye on the website, which will update our flight information. If we don’t hear we will just be getting our transfer and hoping for the best.”

Monarch Airlines boss gives reason for company's collapse - and what 410,000 affected customers should do now

At Manchester Airport this morning, passengers were handed leaflets with news that the airline was in administration.

Pete Vickers, 60, a computer consultant from Ladybridge, has a holiday home in Menorca. He was due to fly out this morning for a 10-day family holiday and to close up his house for the winter.

He said: “We checked the news as soon as we got up at 4.45am. We’d had a text message and email around 4:10am but were still in bed. There was one seat left on a flight on Wednesday, but the only other flights were almost £700 for two of us. I am taking the flight on Wednesday alone as we need to be there.”

Advice to Monarch customers:-

Customers in the UK yet to travel: Don't go to the airport, the Civil Aviation Authority says.

Customers abroad: Everyone due to fly in the next fortnight will be brought back to the UK at no cost to them. There is no need to cut short a stay. Those with flight-only bookings after October 16 are unlikely to have Atol scheme protection, so will need to make their own arrangements.

Customers currently overseas should check monarch.caa.co.uk for confirmation of their new flight details - which will be available a minimum of 48 hours in advance of their original departure time.

All affected customers should keep checking monarch.caa.co.uk for more information.

The CAA also has a 24-hour helpline: 0300 303 2800 from the UK and Ireland and +44 1753 330330 from overseas.