The Yorkshire Post says: We need a thorough examination of how Monarch mess could happen

It can only be right that the immediate focus following the collapse of Monarch Airlines will be on what Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has called the 'biggest peacetime repatriation' operation the UK has seen, as efforts are made to bring 110,000 passengers home from abroad in as timely a fashion as possible.

Aviation minister Lord Callanan at Leeds Bradford Airport

But it is important that a thorough and transparent examination of how this situation has occurred takes place. For the passengers already abroad, the situation is undoubtedly causing great anxiety and inconvenience, while it also means major disappointment for 750,000 people with future holidays booked. Worst of all, for more than 2,000 workers it means the loss of their livelihoods.

This situation has not come out of the blue; the company has been struggling financially for some time and the chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority Andrew Haines has revealed that Monarch notified his organisation a month ago that they were in trouble.

However, Mr Haines said that the Monarch board only made a resolution to go into administration around midnight on Saturday night, with the CAA, along with passengers and staff, only provided with confirmation at 4am yesterday morning.

Monarch has blamed its collapse on terror attacks in Egypt and Tunisia hitting trade, as well as the “decimation” of numbers going to Turkey. But there are also questions for the Government following claims ministers refused to provide a bridging loan to the company while it restructured the business around its long-haul operations. Customers and staff deserve a full explanation.