Julie I am sure they are now part of TCD/Air Atlanta? Which explains alot[msnmad][msnmad]
Julie I am sure they are now part of TCD/Air Atlanta? Which explains alot[msnmad][msnmad]
It took off today at 12.58 nearly 26 hours late
Our friends arrived back yesterday at mid day. (30 hours later than scheduled arrival at Newcastle!)They had been accommodated overnight at a Sheraton Hotel at a cost to Excel of $69 per room + $9 for breakfast and further vouchers at Sanford where they had spent the day since 9.30 am Friday morning, until 12 pm when they took off. Multiplying that by around 260 passengers comes to ........a lot of lost revenue!!!
They said that when they could find Excel staff to ask at Sanford they were fobbed off with untruths. First the plane was coming out from UK, then it was being flown in from Cuba and would be there in two hours, then after more than two hours they were told it had just taken off from Cuba, and after several hours were told it had been rerouted via Dominican Republic!
Think I'd better cancel my weeks schedule for when we return in October to give them a "window" for approximate arrival!!
Kevin
There is a story in todays Sunday Mirror about some people in the Dominican Republic who are refusing to fly back on their Excel plane. It said that one of the planes engines failed and it had to turn round. So the passengers don't trust it and won't get back on. Who can blame them?
It also mentions the Newcastle Excel flight fiasco last week.
Doesn't matter how cheap they are I certainly won't be using them!!
Certainly not wishing to use Excel again, yesterday I tried to book the Saturday flight from Newcastle for next year on a Saturday in May. The tour operators website kept telling me there were no seats left for the Saturday and kept offering me Thursdays instead with Excel. In desperation I phoned the tour operator this morning where a charming lady said that a block of seats had just been released for the Saturday flights , but that also because of the sheer number of complaints about Excel, Monarch are doing the Thursday flights from NCL next year.
Booked straight away. Looks like I had company when I complained . [clap][clap] Lots of company!! [msnwink]
Kevin
Julie,
Monarch are already doing the Saturday flights. Apparently they're starting Thursdays too for next year. Not sure yet whether this is instead of /or as well as the Excel one.
I had also contacted First Choice who have been doing fortnightly flights from NCL on Sundays, but they emailed back to say they weren't operating those flights next year. [msnsad]
Kevin
I've never flown Excell before and was under the impression that their seat pitch etc was quite good.
I am flying to Ibiza with them in 3 weeks time, i hope to god its okay as we fly at 1800 and therefore if delayed will be delayed into the night and the same coming home as the return is at 2300.
Graham,
As long as there are no delays on your flights, Ibiza should be OK via Excel. Being only a couple of hours journey, I could put up with some discomfort.
My complaint (and many other long haul passengers too!) was that from Newcastle they are using a 767 that is very obviously equipped for short haul flights for transatlantic journeys of up to nine hours.
Apart from the very serious lack of legroom, the inbound plane was divided into three compartments and had nothing but economy seats and just one screen per compartment (about 28 rows of seats)I could not even see our screen clearly with my specs on from my row.
When this plane is out of service they are occasionally running delays of 24 to 30 hours.
I daresay that on short haul flights they provide a perfectly adequate service.
I hope you have a great time in Ibiza with no problems [lucky][lucky]
Kevin
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by KevinT
Julie,
Monarch are already doing the Saturday flights. Apparently they're starting Thursdays too for next year. Not sure yet whether this is instead of /or as well as the Excel one.
<span style="color:red">I had also contacted First Choice who have been doing fortnightly flights from NCL on Sundays, but they emailed back to say they weren't operating those flights next year. [msnsad]
[/quote]</span id="red">
That's a shame - I enjoyed my FC flight back to Newcastle(even tho outbound was a disaster!!!). And I certainly enjoyed the shorter drive home - would have used them again [msncry]
Julie
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