Monarch Employees Slam Civil Aviation Authority Over 'Disgusting' Tweet On Rescue Flights

'Let's not forget people have lost their jobs two months before Christmas.'
More than 1,800 Monarch employees were made redundant when the company collapsed. Above: A woman carries a box out of a Monarch office after airline went into administration.
More than 1,800 Monarch employees were made redundant when the company collapsed. Above: A woman carries a box out of a Monarch office after airline went into administration.
Reuters Photographer / Reuters

Monarch workers who woke up on Monday to find themselves jobless have slammed the UK’s aviation regulator as “disgusting and disrespectful” over a tweet they claim tried to glamourise a “traumatic” situation.

More than 1,800 Monarch employees were made redundant overnight when the UK’s fifth biggest airline went into administration this week.

In addition to the huge loss of jobs, the collapse sparked Britain’s biggest-ever peacetime repatriation, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) tasked with bringing home 110,000 stranded passengers.

But the CAA caused controversy last night after it sent an “inappropriate” tweet asking followers for their snaps.

“Spotted one of our rescue flights?” the post read. “Let us know by tweeting us a picture. #Monarch”.

The Civil Aviation Authority sparked controversy with this tweet
The Civil Aviation Authority sparked controversy with this tweet
Twitter

The tweet quickly sparked a storm of anger amongst former Monarch employees, generating more than 100 replies before it was deleted on Wednesday night.

“As now an ex-employee, I’m disgusted by this tweet,” a man named Mike wrote on Twitter.

“You’re a regulator and shouldn’t be glamourising a traumatic time for us.”

Former Monarch employees quickly hit back on Twitter
Former Monarch employees quickly hit back on Twitter
Twitter

Other workers, still reeling from the shock of losing their jobs, also criticised the CAA for the message:

Some workers called the tweet 'highly disrespectful'
Some workers called the tweet 'highly disrespectful'
Twitter
'Thousands of Monarch employees are mourning'
'Thousands of Monarch employees are mourning'
Twitter
The CAA tweet generated more than a hundred responses
The CAA tweet generated more than a hundred responses
Twitter

Others also took to Twitter to slam the authority, calling on the CAA to remember that “people have lost their jobs two months before Christmas”:

Around 110,000 people were left stranded abroad by the collapse of the company
Around 110,000 people were left stranded abroad by the collapse of the company
Twitter
'Not the best tweet'
'Not the best tweet'
Twitter
'Don't gloat on airline failures'
'Don't gloat on airline failures'
Twitter
The CAA has been tasked with bringing stranded Monarch passengers back to Britain on 'rescue flights'
The CAA has been tasked with bringing stranded Monarch passengers back to Britain on 'rescue flights'
Twitter
'Why would you say that?'
'Why would you say that?'
Twitter

The CAA has now deleted the tweet and has apologised “for any offence caused”.

A later message read: “Our focus remains on the flying programme and getting people home”.

We apologise for any offence caused by our earlier tweet. Our focus remains on the flying programme and getting people home.

— UK CAA (@UK_CAA) October 4, 2017

The blunder comes after a series of controversies around the collapse of Monarch.

Yesterday, union Unite announced that it was launching legal action on behalf of the scores of former employees left “high and dry”, saying workers should have been given 45 days notice over redundancies.

Almost 35,000 stranded passengers have now been brought back to the UK by the CAA. The holidays of around 860,000 people were cancelled when Monarch went into administration.

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