Budget Airline, reasonable cost, ideal for short flights
Disadvantages:
Book within 5 days of travel you don't get the option of a meal
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Excel airlines - First time for us using them and we were off to malta for a week.
Because it was a late booking of less than 5 days we were told on arrival at Gatwick airport to go to the Skybreak desk to get our tickets. Our flight was for 5am in the morning but what they forget to tell you is that the skybreak desk is closed from 10pm in till 4am, panic time. We arrived at 11pm due to family giving us a lift and not expecting them to come out in the middle of the night. Check in time is 3 hours before your flight, we headed straight for the skybreak desk only to find all the lights were out and nobody was there and a little sign saying closed from 10pm - 4pm, if you need to contact us before then ring this number. Ok so we thought we're ring the number, off i went to ring only to get an answerphone message which said no-one is here to take your call please try again later, great now what do we do? Lucky for us there was a lady on one of the check in desks for Excel airlines who told us don't worry they get here about 3 am so your be in plenty of time for your flight. I explained it says 4am on the notice and she said not a problem we don't stop check-in till 4:20am. I thought great that'll give us time to run through departures and find our departure lounge.
After a coffee we thought we'd take another look on the off chance to see if anyone else was queuing as we were advised to try and be at the front of the queue in order to make our flight. This was about 2am, so we headed down there to find another family having the same problem. We decided rather than go off and come back in case others appeared as there were 4 flights going with Excel before 5am and that it looked as though it might get busy to wait. Good job we did wait within about 15 minutes there was approx 40 other people waiting on tickets too and none of them had a clue about the desk not being open during those hours. Everyone was in a panic in case they missed their flights. At about 2:30 one member of staff appeared who dissappeared into the back office for about 10 mins and then came out and started handing out the tickets. We were second in the queue luckily and I calmed down knowing there was a lot of other people waiting too. Then another mess, two tickets that's all we needed and yet they still managed to get one of the names wrong, mine being the lead party and who booked them and they'd wrote both in my partners name, altho easily resolved as they wrote out another by hand. Check-in desks is similar to easyjet and ryanair, they don't tend to have specific desks for certain flights their open for several flights in one go. I think the lady who did ours can't of been working there long cos it took her 10 mins to check in the 2 people in front of us and us likewise and she didn't seem sure of what to do. Finally bags checked in, through departures and then wait for boarding gate. Chance to grab something to eat as being a late booking of less than 5 days your too late to book a meal on board the plane. Boarding time was 20 minutes before 5 and at 10 to we hadn't boarded. Another person asked if it was delayed and they said no it's fine. He said surely we won't leave on time then and she assured him we would. Got to give them this one, we were boarded in 10 minutes, doors shut and on the runway, can't complain at that one. Seats weren't too bad, little more room than easyjet or ryanair, but when people reclined their seats you'd be knocking your knees on the seat in front or if you folded the tray down in front of you be winding yourself on it, but I've been on a lot worse. They weren't too uncomfortable but for a long haul flight definately not advisable. Food we can't comment on but on a sneaky look at the neighbour they looked ok. Just before serving there was an announcement to say that if we wanted a meal we could for £6, bit late then we'd eaten as we didn't know we'd get the chance for one. Flight film going over was good and also on the return, wouldn't say ideal for children though probably more for the adult altho after there was an episode for the kids of the simpsons. Pretty smooth flight, hostesses were polite and helpful and now finally we could relax, apart from one excited little girl who thought it fun to kick the seat for most of the journey. Picking our bags up gotta give them that one was very swift.
On our return flight:
Oops didn't read the tickets to note that your mean't to phone 48hours in advance to check your flights are ok. Lucky for us we weren't the only ones another couple staying in the same hotel didn't realise either.
Check-in only 2 hrs in advance, not so bad, ah but get there any earlier in malta and you still have to wait till the check-in time as their don't have designated desks like the uk. All airlines use them. Once you've got your desk number it's queue up time as usual and everyone makes a dash for it to be there first, watch you don't get run down by run away suitcases. Finally our turn and not again, although they'd sorted it out coming out, they seem to of forgotten to inform them for our return flight and again it's under my partners name for both tickets. Would of been nice to stay longer but after spending all your money not a good feeling thinking you may be stuck there. After speaking to a supervisor all sorted and checked-in.
The journey home we thought it'll be ok cos we can get a meal on the plane this time being early in the morning, no not this time you don't get the option, looks like it's a packet of pringles to keep you going. Flight back was a little bumpy and landing wasn't very smooth at all, watching peoples faces as we landed was amusing, although not nice for some who don't travel well.
All in all the journey with excel was fine but the check-in side of things was a little hairy and maybe some of their staff could do with some more training. Very pleasant though and helpful both in airport and onboard.
Good value for money but could do with changing their policies on meals as 5 days seems a little over the top to organise meals for people especially as I'm sure it's not impossible to be able to sort something out a bit closer to departure day.
On the whole i'd use again but I think i'd perhaps try to make a point of getting there earlier if we have to pick up our tickets from the airport.
Excel fly to:
SPAIN FRANCE BALEARIC ISLANDS CANARY ISLANDS PORTUGAL TURKEY CYPRUS MALTA EGYPT GREECE BARBADOS CROATIA ITALY USA
Flying from:
HUMBERSIDE CARDIFF EXETER BRISTOL BELFAST BIRMINGHAM EAST MIDLANDS GLASGOW LONDON GATWICK MANCHESTER NEWCASTLE LONDON STANSTED
You can book flights, hotels and car hire online and prices can range from as little as £74 return on a last minute offer to Faro from Birmingham. Our flights cost us £79 each to malta return from Gatwick. Prices obviously vary depending on where you fly from and to.
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
Satisfactory
How well does it cater for disabled people
Don't know
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