As I work for Blakes Boats, who are owned by a company called Cendant, who also own RCI Timeshare holidays, I got the privilege of having a two week holiday away at any of their centres throughout the world. I thought I would just use one week up and go to Tenerife and then use the last week for June. I searched on the internet for cheap flights, and I was starting to get a bit frustrated as all the flights were coming up at £198/£202 each, I thought that was expensive, and almost gave up, when I came across Club 2000 site and saw Excel Airways. After a few initial problems with the club 2000 site, I eventually got to book my flight. The prices were coming up at £163, which were the best I had seen. We wanted to go at a reasonable time as my husband had just worked a nightshift and we needed to fit the flight in with his day. He came home at 7.50 on the Friday 15th of March and we set off at 3pm which he then had a few hours sleep. The flight was at 7pm.
Flight XLA7020 should have took off at 6.55, but I think it was 7.20, so that wasn't too bad. On entering the plane, I noticed straightaway the Blue leather seats, oh very nice, I was hoping they weren't too cold though. The stewardesses greeted us with a smile and asked us where we were sitting. We got 3a and 3b. There were three seats either side of the aircraft, with just one aisle. There was a toilet at the front and I think two at the back, I only went to the front, it was great being so near. The TV screens were ok, but I struggled seeing the little monitor which dropped down in front of us, it was positioned so I would have had to crane my neck as far back as I could, I couldn't be bothered as we were on a four hour flight, and I might get neck ache, I read a magazine instead. There were quite a few TV's about, I could just about see the one at the front, when the man infront fell asleep and slouched in his chair.
SERVICE
No sweeties for take-off, no hot towels.
Headphones, you had to pay for £3.00 to watch TV, there was a film on called something and high heels I think, I didn't take any notice. You could keep the heaphones afterwards, I should think so as well. There were audio channels, but then again you had to purchase their headphones, they didn't sell adaptors for my husbands own headphones.
Next came the drinks service, there was wine, beer, spirits, milkshakes, ribena and fizzy drinks and water.The girl next to me had three bottles of wine costing £2.50 each, I think she had a skin full before she had boarded the plane as well. The fizzy drinks were small cans of pepsi etc and costs 50p each, I had a Britvic Orange costing 50p.
You could buy small tubes of pringles for £1.00.
FOOD
We had a choice of Lamb or Turkey, or so we thought, by the time they came to us, there was just turkey left, which is what I would have chosen anyway. It came with mixed veg, roast potatoes and lovely gravy, not bad at all. Then there was a roll with butter, chocolate mousse which was delicious, cream crackers and cheese and a minature hero chocolate to finish off. It wasn't very filling but ample enough to tide you over until you got to your destination.
DUTY FREE
They were still serving cigerettes and alcohol, perfume and gifts, which don't quote me, I though they had stopped the fags and booze bit. I didn't get any prices as I'm not interested in buying anything.
HOSTESSES
Had on light blue blouses with navy Blue skirts, they were very nice and polite, especially coming back when I felt a bit groggy. The odd one had too much makeup on, but thats what we associate with air hostesses don't we? Some of the others were more natural.
THE FLIGHT ITSELF
Was quite comfortable, the leg room wasn't too bad for me, but my husband being 6ft was quite uncomfortable. His knees were almost touching the seat in front, good job they didn't recline their chair, that seems to give you less leg room, unless you then recline yours. There wasn't much turbulence, the take-off was smooth ans so was the landing. there wasn't even any screaming babies, yipeeee.
THE RETURN JOURNEY
XLA7021, we should have flown at 23.59, but took off at 12.20am, which there again wasn't so bad. As we boarded the plane, we could have had the most enormous newspaper, think it was The Telegraph, god knows why they give you these papers when you can't open them in such confined spaces. We declined one, but noticed that there was a free copy of Eve on the chairs, I already subscribe to this magazine for some unknown reason, it's rubbish, so I didn't bother with that. I was just about to get my book out, when I got nudged by a rather large gentleman trying to get into the seat next to me, he was so big, that I couldn't bend down to get my book out of my bag,so I gave up. I even had to turn down my breakfast as he had his arms on our arm rest , his legs against mine and kept his big anorak on, all the way which made him even bigger. I was in agony for four hours, I eventually got up and went to the loo after two hours and asked the hostess for a drink as I was starting to feel groggy. I told her about the situation, I didn't ask to be moved as I thought it might be too embarassing. They let me stay with them for a while so I could get my body back into some shape, it had got quite twisted sat in that funny squashed position for two hours.
FOOD
Even though I didn't have any breakfast, my husband did, he was sat in the window seat next to me, I told him it was my turn next time. He had, scrambled eggs, beans, sausagesand bacon. There was a white roll and butter, orange juice , strawberry yoghurt and coffee and tea. It looked good, but I was too tired and cramped by then.
TUBULENCE
One part of the journey, in fact not long after we had set off, there was quite a lot of turbulence, we obviuosly had to keep pur seat belts on until it had settled, one silly man tried to get his luggage from the overhead lockers. He got told to sit down. Later on was more turbulence, but the captain announced that there were three planes in front of us suffering from quite bad turbulence, so our pilot chose to fly beneath them to avoid it, what a clever chap. I must say there was hardly any after that, I kept wondering if the planes up above might land on us.
Overall a safe flight, but not very comfy because of the fatty next to me, don't get me wrong I'm not exactly a slim Jim, but he was probably 20 stone.
THE COMPANY
The hostess told me they were part Cypriot part British owned. They have won an award for the best on time flight company, and I can see why. They operate the same flights everyday each week. I would defintely use them again, they are much better than Monarch sardine planes.
More details
Class flown most frequently
Economy
How often do you travel with this airline
First time
Where did you book
Online Travel Agent
Safety
Very safe
How well does it cater for disabled people
Well
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