View Full Version : New Airline flying direct from Glasgow to Orlando
suzybrown
04-09-2005, 14:43
Hi there, a bit of info for everyone. There is a new airline called yourfloridaair.com which is now releasing flights from Glasgow direct to Orlando. As most Scottish will know there are no direct flights from Glasgow to Orlando during Winter season. Flights commence October 2005 right through to April 2006 and you will be amazed at the prices. There are great deals throughout the season including fantastic deals for Christmas and New Year.
Its not a new airline its Excel which are are part of the Travel City Direct/Air Atlanta Europe group[msnwink]
Well it sounds like it will be handy for those travellingfrom 'up north'. Thanks for posting suzybrown
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Jo
Well it sounds like it will be handy for those travellingfrom 'up north'. Thanks for posting suzybrown
[/quote]
Absolutly[msnwink]
Budget airline Excel Airways will fly between Glasgow airport and Orlando Sanford this winter, if online firm yourflorida.com, who plan to charter the flight, get regulatory approval for the route. Excel will operate a weekly flight on behalf of the online firm, with prices starting at £149 one way.
Jim Whitelaw, director of yourfloridaair.com, said: 'There are 4 or 5 flights a week between Glasgow and Tenerife this winter, but not a single flight to Florida. We are anticipating a high demand for the route because of the competitive prices. The first 4 flights are already fully booked.'
The new route, which is due to start in October, will be between Glasgow airport and Orlando Sanford. Sanford is the preferred destination for charter flights, and is just over an hour from Orlando.
Yourfloridaair.com is waiting for final confirmation of the flight licence from the Civil Aviation Authority. Customers can visit the website to book flights. A telephone booking hotline will be set up once the flights receive regulatory approval.
The company charges an annual membership of £15, which the firm says allows them to keep costs down, but this does not guarantee a flight.
Suzy, as you say, it would be good news for Scotland and the North, however YourFloridaAir are still awaiting their ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) from the CAA, without it they cannot sell seats to the public and have the monies protected. It appears they hope to be chartering an Excel Airways aircraft for the operation, but are not part of the Excel/TCD/Air Atlanta/Avion group, otherwise they would be able to use their ATOL Licence.
Hopefully it will get off the ground
It appears that Jim Whitelaw also runs Whitelaw Enterprises Ltd t/a Your Florida Group and a Villas company (which I wont post)[msnwink]
Robert5988
05-09-2005, 01:53
This scheme has been muted for months and there was a thread about it on this forum some while ago.
£15 to join a 'club' that might charter from Excel airlines and should get you to Florida within 48 hours of the scheduled arrival - sounds an excellent deal.
However I know a better deal. Its a firm that intends to sell snake oil extracted from pythons that breed in the Artic circle - you can join £14.99.
Unfortunately they do not seem to do child fares so it looks like it will not be any cheaper for us as a family:(
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by dawn
Suzy, as you say, it would be good news for Scotland and the North, however YourFloridaAir are still awaiting their ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) from the CAA, without it they cannot sell seats to the public and have the monies protected. It appears they hope to be chartering an Excel Airways aircraft for the operation, but are not part of the Excel/TCD/Air Atlanta/Avion group, otherwise they would be able to use their ATOL Licence.
Hopefully it will get off the ground
[/quote]
Sorry Dawn I meant Excel are part of the Avion Group[msnwink]
It does get confusing with all the interconnected companies doesn't it[msnscared]
lgordon6041
14-09-2005, 03:16
Hello Mach 2....Is this "one way fare" from the charters becoming the in thing? We visited our son, Lee in Canada 2 months ago and had to book both the outward & return flights seperately which, as you know, isn't normally an option on a charter. The flights were on an A330 "My Travel" Flight run on behalf of Canadian Affair holiday company. We travelled Premier Gold for an extra £50 each way which was excellent but had to go down to Gatwick from Cheshire.
We thought the £300 return fare to Edmonton, Alberta was excellent value for 2 weeks at the end of June/beginning of July.
Dave (Lee's dad)
Hi there, yes I think 'one way fares' are becoming the 'in thing' since low cost airlines started up and they always price fares on each sector - I think it makes them look cheaper when advertising. It also gives more flexibility for the passengers to choose flight times that suit them.[msnwink]
imported_n/a
14-09-2005, 15:45
Its not going to be like the one that should have gone from birmingham, fly blu then fly who but did not get off the ground.
allenc[drinkbeer]
lgordon6041
14-09-2005, 16:18
I can see them all flying half empty if they continue with these fuel surcharges as people will just look for cheaper alternatives, especially those with loads of kids to take to Disney World (who knows...perhaps we will see a revival of "Maplins Holiday Camp" experiences and people sitting around with knotted handkerchiefs on their heads to keep the sun off)
I must admit my Virgin bill for next years flights is pretty high and that's only taking 3 out of our 5 children[msnscared]
alastair
14-09-2005, 22:58
I believe the new flights from Glasgow are being operated as a new venture by Jim Whitelaw who is leasing his aircraft from Air Atlanta. This does not make it Excel. I may be wrong, but did Virgin not operate an aircraft out of Manchester to Orlando that was leased from Air Atlanta? I don't think that was classed as Excel.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by alastair
I believe the new flights from Glasgow are being operated as a new venture by Jim Whitelaw who is leasing his aircraft from Air Atlanta. This does not make it Excel. I may be wrong, but did Virgin not operate an aircraft out of Manchester to Orlando that was leased from Air Atlanta? I don't think that was classed as Excel.
[/quote]
Actually it does.......
If you look here.....
http://www.yourfloridaair.com/
you will see Jim Whitelaw is using an Excel 767 and Excel are part of the Avion/Air Atlanta group - they are all one big happy family[msnwink]
Avion Group may be complex, but it can still speak pretty planely about its business. Through a group of subsidiaries, Avion Group leases more than 60 passenger and cargo aircraft long-term and short-term and also provides other aviation-related services at seven overhaul workshops in the UK and a maintenance center in Ireland. Avion was founded in January 2005 through the merger of Air Atlanta Icelandic, which was founded in 1986, and Islandsflug. Avion Group also includes Air Atlanta Europe, Avia Technical Services, Excel Airways, and Southair. [msnwink]
Yes Virgin did have Air Atlanta running the Manchester route for a while and they realised it was a big mistake (too many compliants) and they now use a full Virgin Aircraft/Crew/Service, no more complaints and its now goes pretty much bang on time every day[msnwink]