TAH-M,

It generally is the cameras that mess things up weight wise. My housing for the video camera comes in at 7kg!! I used to take that as hand luggage without a problem but the new security measures introduced last year stopped that so I've got to pack it now I've yet to sort out my booking for extra allowance for my up-coming flights with Air France and one of the flights is a codeshare with Air Mauritius. They don't have free carriage of sports equipment, its 20 euros from memory for an extra 10kg so better get my french phrase book out! Only thing you can do is argue your case with XL really and see what they say. The flight may not show on the MON website if it's a sub-charter where they can't sell direct seats. MON1202 is a Boeing 757-2T7 which are configured 3-3 with 28" seat pitch.

I hope the sharks are playing out for you,

Darren

PS Click here for a copy of the letter I normally request to confirm the carraige of sports equipment. It's always worth getting one just in case.

Will let you know on the sharks - not the airline variety presumably!Hoping for Threshers which will be a first sighting for me.

It's typical that the only time I didn't req the excess confirmation is the time I needed it!! It's ridiculous that XL appear to have entirely subbed a flight but not retained their own booking terms - but there you go

They've given me a phone number for monarch so will have to see what I can do there!

Thought I would give XL a good review as there are so many bad ones!
Just flew to Menorca and back with them and could not fault them! No delays, smooth flight, all flight attendents were really friendly and helpfull!! Will definatley use them again!

Claire

Hi

Flying from Manchester to Zante next sunday and understand there will be no free meals offered during the flight.

Are we allowed to take food i.e. sandwiches, on the flight

thank you

Ali x

Hi Ali .. under current restrictions, only solid foodstuffs are allowed through security checks in hand luggage, so just be careful with your choice of sandwich fillings.

I don't know whether Excel have any rules about eating your own food on board the flight, so it may be worth checking their website unless someone else can clarify that for you.

For more info and discussion on current hand luggage restrictions, please click on the link in my signature below.

David

Thanks David for your reply. Does that mean that I could take a ham salad sandwich on board but perhaps not egg mayonnaise
I feel a bit stupid asking but have a daughter with disabilities and if they take her sandwiches out of her bag at security she will FREAK ! as she won't understand.

Many thanks

Ali x

Hi Ali ... ham is fine. But any sauces, jams, mayonnaise, etc would need to be placed in containers of 100mls or less and stored inside your 'liquids' plastic bag.

This only applies to any food items taken through security into the departure lounge and on board the flight. It does not apply to any food items bought in the departure lounge shops and taken on board.

David

XLA264V is currently a Boeing 737-8Q8. IFE is provided on most flights.

But is this a chartered or schedualed flight.Cheers.

Chris.

Hi,

(We've pasted this from the Cyprus forum as suggested by one of the moderators incase anyone thinks they're seeing double!)

We are due to fly out 2 weeks today and out of curiousity we checked to see what time our flight actually left Manchester for Paphos. It's been a real eye opener as most XL flights have had big delays today - one 5 / 6 hours and the 10.30am for Paphos hasn't left yet. It seems to be all the Greek flights ---

Is there anything going on over there Jumbox (or anyone else who may know) or is it just called XL having a bad day! We did hear rumours of some airlines striking in Cyprus

Just curious

Cyprus Airways were striking for a few hours the other day but thats it. its just XL being inept again. Although inflight they are a damn site better than Thomsonfly!

Must admit, and this sounds selfish so apologies - we were glad that the flight yesterday wasn't ours. Apparently, the flight due to return at about 9.30pm got back in the UK at 5am ish ------ fancy having to go to work this morning ----- groooaaaannnnnn

I think its a bit unfair to call XL being inept again. All airlines suffer delays for one reason or another. No-one can predict delays happening and as we are now into the peak summer season all airlines are operating at full capacity so its envitable somewhere along the line a delay is going to be suffered. It seems all the charter airlines at the moment are having their fair share of delays!

XL had a 757 go tech in Volos meaning they have been an aircraft short during the last few days. I was stuck at Corfu airport yesterday mine and another XL Airways flights to Manchester were delayed by 5 and 10 hours due to shortage of aircraft.

Hi Manchester Mark

Glad you got home safe, but sorry about your delay. Must admit we were curious and were wondering if the weather chaos had caused them problems. To be honest we used Excel 3 years ago and as a result of a fantastic flight and superb customer service we are using them again.

At the end of the day its better to be delayed than on a 'risky' plane!

Paphos here we come -

Flying to Luxor in 3 weeks with the dreaded EX Hell Has any one taken this flight?? Had a horrific flight to Cuba 3 years ago with EX HELL hope it may be better this time. not holding my breath.

Alan

I am using this company for a flight to Alicante in September and I am have serious doubts about their ability to actually organise anything. I booked the flights about 2 months ago and have had 3 changes to flight times and days etc.
Firstly the scheduled time was due to land at Alicante at approx. 11.30pm - Apartments and car hire were sorted around this then last month I received notification that the flight had been changed to land at 21.30pm, I spoke with the car hire people and they were fine. 2 weeks later I received a further letter citing commercial reasons meaning they were no longer able to fly us on this date. They offered me a flight for the day earlier on Thursday 20th Sept, this meant that I needed to arrange an extra night in the apartment for 58 euros, I checked the times on the website and seen they had a flight the day after so when I spoke with them about changing this to the Saturday they wanted the difference in the price which equated to around £200, when I asked why I was told that the flights were more expensive on the Saturday even though the letter stated I was entitled to a change they were only prepared to move us to a flight of the same value which was the Thursday. In the end after an argument I accepted the Thursday and booked the extra night and extra days car hire. Never heard anything from them until today when they have decided due to operational reasons the flight has changed again from a landing time of 22.00hrs to 13.00hrs which has again meant me looking a right idiot with the car hire company having to ask for a third change. Really annoyed with the letter I phoned them earlier this evening not looking for any compensation from them but an assurance that this will be the last change and I was told by their call centre rep in Swansea that this operational change is due to the weather we are experiencing at the moment in the UK, even though I was fuming at this point I laughed at this and told her the holiday was 9 weeks away she told me that the internet has some good sites for checking the future weather!!, I told her this was on a par with the old leaves on the line that British Rail used to roll out. It was embarrasing to say the least and she blamed everyone except XL. Having flown this route with Easyjet, BMI baby, Monarch, Jet2, Thomsonfly I can honestly say I won't be using this mickey mouse airline again they are to customer service what Saddam Hussein was to a nobel peace prize. Apologies for the long rant, has anyone else had problems with these jokers?

And guess what i've just had my flights cancelled to malaga in sept.

Seems everyone has complaints with this company. I booked flights to sharm on the 23rd december from birmingham, and booked my hotel with med hotels. I got a phonecall last night from excel to say my flight had been cancelled, and there was no other available flights with this company from any other airports for same dates or dates either side, my son and family had also booked to go on same flight so we could all spend christmas together, they were told they were being transfered to east midlands flight. They didnt care that we wouldnt beable to fly and spend christmas with them. They couldnt explain who gets transfered to another flight and who gets cancelled, as we both booked at the same time. My son and family have asked for refund as they refused to fly without us. We will not be using this airline again. We are now looking to find suitable flights so we can still use our hotel we booked, at the moment they are bit expensive, so may have to change destination.

Having read all of this I'm just glad we have the tickets -------- we've booked our hotel and paid a third up front for it. Must be a nightmare to suddenly find out that you have no flight!

Hope you all get sorted out