Advantages: We arrived home safely. Disadvantages: Too numerous to mention.
...there was total confusion at Excel Airways check-in at Gatwick Airport. We checked -i n and Excel Airways staff failed to put a security tag on one of two suitcases. We noticed it and told him the suitcase would get lost. We asked to speak to a supervisor. That request was ignored. The plane was delayed 4 hours. We did not receive a bottle of champagne as ordered on the outward journey. When we arrived at Punta Cana as predicted one suitcase was ... ...injuring the person behind. Excel Airways initially told us to claim from the Travel Insurance and the claim would be dealt with under the Wasaw Convention. This we have since found out is incorrect. The claim now comes under the Montreal Protocol. Thomas Cook have stated they will only respond to a letter for compensation from a solicitor. Barclay Travel Insurance initially offered us £117. Then they offered £321. Their final off was £381. This ...
CLIVE.RANDALL 14.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: cheap and convenient Disadvantages: the food
Our experience with Excel has on the whole been really quite good. Their website is easy to use and informs you of prices on different dates within the same month, and it is easy and secure to book through. We used them twice last year, once on a viking airlines plane, once on an excel. Both had leather seats, friendly staff and free food and for less money than some no frills flights. You are given the option to book meals when paying on the website ... ...That would have been wonderful but staring at an orange sausage and mushy eggs with a hangover wasn't brilliant. We have eaten better plane food, but not cheaper.
On one leg there was enough room to spread out, while even on the busiest flight we did not feel crowded in. Airport check in was no problem at all but we did turn up really early. Would definitely use them again. ...
hans679 11.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Price, Price and Price Disadvantages: Limited entertainment options and limited baggage allowance.
Gatwick to Orlando Sanford - have flown with all the major carriers across the pond at least 4 times annually for over 10 years - this is no worse than most, and rather better than some.
Disadvantages - if theres a problems with your plane (didn't apply to us) you are in for a long wait. Entertainment somewhat limited until new aircraft come online (october 2008). Food is swill and leg room limited - in neither case appreciably more so than other ... ...to 20 kg baggage. You'll end up at Sanford, not Orlando International - longer drive to get to and from, but customs and baggage retrieval much quicker.
Advantages? You'll save a bundle - over £250 a head in our case.
If you share my philosphy that long haul economy air travel is for enduring rather than enjoying, and you can stand the slightly higher risk of delays/problems, then think seriously about using these guys for Orlando. Overall it was ...
bristolsProdigalson 29.07.2008 (28.07.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: being able to interact with their staff very well and make you feel welcome Disadvantages: there wasn't any
I went on holiday to cyprus and flew with xl their service was great the on flight movie was excellent and the cabin crew were great i was asked all the security questions when i was checking in and the check in staff were helpful happy and really polite.
xl were a part of making my holiday a great one as they are the ones who always start off and finish your holiday.
the first time i flew with them was to cyprus aswell the only prolem was there ... ...didn't mind cause it gave us more time to shop.
they were very kind and our compensation was 2 free drinks free on the plane and all the passengers meals were refunded which we thought was very nice.
we don't mind if we are delayed and we would bever take it out on the staff because it is not there fault there is a problem with the plane so p[lease people take that into consideration i would like to thank xl for there very good customer care and ...
bamzoomi 04.06.2007 (29.05.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: NONE Disadvantages: DELAYED 6 HOURS, NO CUSTOMER CARE, DAMAGED BAGGAGE
...STRONGLY WOULD NOT RECCOMEND YOU EXCEL AIRWAYS.
On our way back from Luxor in June our plane was delayed 4 hours, once we got on the plane we were asked to get off ASAP in a panicky voice. We were all very scared and did not know what was going on. After a long wait captain came along and told us that there was a fire in the baggage hall and that we had to fly with out our baggage.
They told us that our baggage should come with the other airplane ... ...MISSING! I wrote to Excel about the lost baggage and they replied after a long while saying that they will investigate and get back to us which they did not. Beginning of July we finally received the other 2 suitcases but they were in unbelievable state. Suitcase’s locks and zips were broken and also it had big cuts on them. Those suitcases were present and they cost a lot.
Straight away I wrote a letter to Excel Airways explaining the state of ...
BUDAK 23.07.2007 (21.07.2007)
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...However I know that some excel flights don't offer food at all and so I was pleased with this.
There was plenty of leg room. I'm only short myself but my boyfriend is over 6ft and he was fine as well.
The hostesses were friendly and efficient and did not seem to mind being called on at least 5 times an hour by the old couple behind us for various reasons (ie do you have a pillow, do you have a sheet, I'm a little cold dear, could I have a coffee, ... ...was also provided with a copy of the Daily Mail on boarding the aircraft. Children were entertained with cartoons. The inflight entertainment, though basic and repetitive, was satisfactory.
The safety briefing was superb. It was very alike other airlines only there were more hostesses taking part so that every passenger was close enough to one of the hostesses to see exactly what was going on. The safety checks were excellent, they went roudn and ...
staceycav 13.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Friendliness, Helpful staff, All round great service Disadvantages: I cant afford to keep going on holiday
...experience, I have flown with excel three times now, The first being 3 years ago I had never been on a plane before and my partner (who has flown lots of times) gets quite nervous so we both were a bag of nerves. When we checked in the staff were very friendly and helpful, I get bad legs and asked if possible I could sit on an end of the aisle so I could stretch my leg out, they not only did this and swapped our seats they actually put us at the ... ...a pleasure to fly with excel and I am going to keep going back infact I have just booked my wedding in Florida for later on in the year, Some people moan about being delayed for hours although i have not expereinced any delays myself wouldn't you prefer they fix problems that can happen with any sort of transport than let you fly on an unsafe plane. Anyway all in all I have no complaints with excel the staff are great and cheerful, The food is ok, ...
jonesybean 19.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: cheap, friendly staff, no delays Disadvantages: unclean, limited entertainment
I recently flew from London to Florida with XL Airways, part of Travel City Direct. The whole set up of the airline worked perfectly, we had no problems checking in and the flight left only 20mins or so late, which is obviously expected on a chartered airline.
A big 'no no' about the flight was the basic cleanliness...on our trip out we found a load of empty sweet wrappers stuffed down the backs of the seats and there were crumbs all over them as ... ...on their clean up beforehand, but this became doubtful when on our flight home, they were still there! (Thats the joy of pre-booked seats i guess!!) I wonder if anyone else encountered the same problem?!
The entertainment on the flight was OK; the film was projected on to a solid wall on the plane, a novel idea, but not very useful when you are seated on the back row of the section, as we were! It made watching it a pain in the neck, literally!!
...
rhinoklo 06.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: safe and no luggage lost . Disadvantages: leg room limited
...we went to crete with excel there and back . we was delayed on the way out and no one really knew why or for how long , just another five minutes they kept saying this went on for three hours. The cabin crew seemed really grumpy on the way out to crete. there are blankets and pillows avalible if you are on a night flight which we were , but understandably these are offered to children first , however if there are spare they will let you have one ... ...size 8 or thinner. Most excel planes are laid out with 2 window seats , aisle , a row of 4 seats , aisle and then 2 more window seats . We was lucky and on both trips we got window seats. Your seats are already allocated to you on your ticket and excel are very strict that you stick to your seat as other passengers discovered. Leg room is very limited. but managable.
In flight meals are okay but do try and avoid a flight that serves you breakfast ...
abbi2006 12.11.2006
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Food Quality
Customer Service
Punctuality
Space
Value for Money
Quick review of Excel Airways
Flight XLA160A Manaus to Gatwick 28th November 2007. 4 hour delay at departure. Very slow service. No gin and tonik. Parts of meals missing. Jam and butter supplied for croissants at breakfast but croissants only allowed for first class! No other bread or toast.. Rubbish piled up against emergency exits. Only 2 toilets out of five operational for 300 passengers on 9 hour flight. Insufficient rubbish collection during 9 hour flight resulting in large amounts of litter on the cabin floor throughout. Insolent and unhelpful cabin staff. The 767-300 aircraft appeared to be fitted out for short haul and was unsuitable for long distance flights. ...
Shippers 03.12.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Spaceous, excellent food, friendly staff. Disadvantages: Having to share it woith other people!
...give to a dog!
Excel Airways couldn't have been more different. I had plenty of room to stretch out - being 6 foot tall is not always an advantage. However, to Excel this is not a problem, my partner prebooked extra leg room seats at no extra charge. The seats were all leather (on a low cost airline??!!), clean and comfortable. There was actually room to wiggle about in them, although this does draw some strange looks!
The staff were friendly and ... ...get off the plane at the end (the draw of the Egyptian sun did it, the cold at Gatwick almost kept me on the plane!).
I would recommend Excel to anyone, and will definitely do my best to make sure we travel with them again in the future. ...
emmabear 20.11.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Reasonably priced Disadvantages: Careless service: overbooking, no upgrades
...We booked together with Excel Airways. My husband,son and I checked in together and mentioned that our relatives were on that flight and were getting married. We were disappointed that they did not receive any sort of upgrade, free drink etc. It would have been good customer service.
The real problem, however, was on our return flight. Due to take off at midnight (hardy ideal anyway with a toddler, but the 9.30 flight time we had originally booked ... ...Paphos airport to find it was delayed by 90 minutes. We checked in together, but as we handed over our passports, the check-in clerk looked worried, scuttled away to whisper to his supervisor and eventually told us there had been a mistake and there was only room for one of us and a child. We were offered the option of waiting to check in on the next flight but they could not guarentee that there would be seats for all of us, so we had to agree that ...
Kirsty2 28.08.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Too few to mention Disadvantages: Appalling service, cavalier attitude to complaints, terminally complacent
...coped for 20 days.
Excel are soooo smug about their fine reputation for punctuality, that you might have thought they would give a pretty speedy reply after such poor service.
No info at the airport (except "late arrival of incoming aircraft") and all Excel / Servisair staff seemed to have had successful charisma bypass operations.
And then to be greeted by a crew called in from standby, trying desperately to conceal how hacked off they were to ...
jay1gee2 16.09.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Was on time, fly to Marsa Alam Disadvantages: Awful awful awful food, some cabin crew members
...going, but it served me right for not complaining!
All in all, I would fly with excel again, but only because it's the only flight that serves the destination we like to visit. If another airline started flying that route, I would definitely chance them, rather than excel. ...
emsky2001 04.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
Advantages: Good for a no frills service Disadvantages: Long Delays, Average Service
Me and my partner flew to Egypt this year with Excel, which we both had never flown with before. On checking in we were told we would be delayed and they would not know how long for with this they gave us each a meal voucher which gives the impression it may be a long delay. Our flight was ment to leave at 11am and we didn't take off until about 4pm. We weren't really kept up to date with any information.
The flight there was good, the leg room ... ...plane food goes.
On the way back we were ment to be picked up from our hotel in the afternoon then this changed to 7pm. When we arrived in the airport our flight wasn't leaving until 12.30am. A great lack of communication.
We should have been back in England by now. As anyone who has been to an Egyptian airport they would know why it's not ideal to be delayed. There was alot of annoyed people. On the flight home everyone was very cramped and cold ...
CharBlaise 06.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Excel Airways
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