Monarch Air boom shows Brits getting over Brexit blues, CEO says

A surge in demand for Mediterranean holidays suggests Britons are coming to terms with a weaker pound and the threat of terrorist attacks, according to Monarch Airlines, the UK’s second-biggest leisure carrier. Vacation bookings for summer 2017 are up 40%, Monarch reported Friday. While the increase may have been enhanced by lower sales during this year’s peak season, when the Luton, England-based company was struggling to secure new financing, the improvement stems mainly from “external” factors, CEO Andrew Swaffield said. “Britons tend to be quite resilient,” he said. “Some people changed their plans in 2016 due to the combination of terrorism and the exchange-rate fluctuation, but they’re bouncing back in 2017. I think they’re getting used to it.” Demand for package holidays that bundle flights, transfers, accommodation and meals and offer greater certainty over price has gained most, Monarch said, though flight-only bookings are also up 10%. That reflects an increase in the number of people using services such as Airbnb Inc. to source beds independently in markets such as Spain, where a perceived minimal terrorist threat has led to a shortage of traditional rooms, Swaffield said.<br/>