XL Airways

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XL Airways

IATA JN	ICAO XLA	Callsign EXPO
Founded		1994 as Sabre Airways
Hubs		London Gatwick Airport Manchester Airport Glasgow International Airport Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Focus cities		Newcastle Airport Bristol Airport Nottingham East Midlands Airport Birmingham International Airport Cardiff International Airport Humberside Airport London Stansted Airport Dublin Airport
Fleet size		34
Destinations		Varies
Parent company		XL Leisure Group
Headquarters		Crawley, England, UK Paris, France
Key people		DFO James Scott CEO Phil Wyatt COO Steve Tomlinson
Website: http://www.xl.com

XL Airways is a charter airline with headquarters at Crawley in the United Kingdom. XL Airways is the new name for Excel Airways following a major rebrand. XL provides short-haul and long-haul services to European and Middle Eastern leisure destinations from its three bases of London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. The airline also operates services from Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham East Midlands, Birmingham, Cardiff, Humberside, London Stansted and Belfast International. The parent company of XL Airways is the XL Leisure Group.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2006, XLLG launched XL Airways France and XL German Airlines..

XL Airways UK Limited holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, which permits it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.[1]

1 History
2 Incidents and accidents
3 Awards
4 Fleet
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

The airline was established in 1994 as Sabre Airways and started operations on 17 December 1994. The name Excel was adopted following the acquisition in November 2000 of a 67% stake by Libra Holidays Group, and subsequently increased. In March 2004 Avion Group completed the purchase of 40.5% of Excel Airways Group.

In December 2004 Excel Airways was presented with the award of 'Worlds Leading Charter Airline' for 2004 at the World Travel Awards in Barbados.

In January 2005, Excel Airways Group launched XL.com. This was accompanied by the rebranding of the aircraft.

In October 2005, Excel Airways was awarded 'Best Charter Airline' by readers of the UK newspaper the Daily Telegraph. The company also received 'World's Leading Charter Airline' for the second year running.

Excel Airways Boeing 737-400 takes off

In November 2005 a modified livery was introduced, larger Excel Airways titles, an emblem on the engines and XL.com on the tail.

In March 2006 Excel Airways signed an agreement with GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) for the lease of two Next-Generation Boeing 737-900ER (Extended Range) aircraft being marketed by Boeing in 2007 and two Boeing 737-800s with a delivery in the second quarter in 2007. In addition four Boeing 737-800s will be added to the fleet in the first six months of 2007, two from ILFC (International Lease Finance Corporation) and two from RBS Aviation Capital (part of Royal Bank of Scotland). All the aircraft are leased for eight years as a part of the Group’s aircraft fleet renewal plan.

in April 2006 Excel secured 100% of the share capital of Kosmar Villa Holidays Plc (‘Kosmar’), with effect from 2 May 2006.

Air Malta Airbus A320-200, operated on behalf of XL

In May 2006 Excel Airways acquired 3 Boeing 747-300 with the merger of sister company Air Atlanta Europe

On 30 October 2006, members of management bought-out XL Leisure Group from Avion Group. XL Leisure Group consists of Excel Airways Group in the UK, Star Airlines France and Star Europe in Germany.

As of late November 2006 Excel Airways has renamed itself as XL Airways and has updated its site XL.com as part of a major brand relaunch. XL.com will be rolled out in Ireland, Germany and France during the next few months.^{[citation needed]} The airline is well known for its policy of charging for everything on its flights, from water to blankets.

[edit] XL Airways France

In February 2006, the Avion Group, which at the time owned the XLLG, purchased Star Airlines, the second biggest airline in France with a fleet consisting of six Airbus aircraft; four A320s and two A330-200s.

Following the Management Buy-Out of XLLG, in November 2006, Star Airlines relaunched as XL Airways France. XL Airways France retains its AOC in France, but forms part of the new global XL brand.

[edit] XL Airways Germany

In May 2006, the Avion Group, which at the time owned the XLLG, acquired an AOC in Germany and formed Star Europe as a sister company to Star Airlines, France's second largest charter airline. As part of the acquisition of XLLG from the Avion Group, the XLLG also acquired Star Europe, and in November 2006 relaunched the airline as XL Airways Germany.

[edit] XL Airways Ireland

In May 2006 Excel Airways announced that it would be launching an international airline in Ireland and would commence flights in summer 2007. The airline plans to begin operations primarily from Dublin Airport in May 2007, with flights being offered to the following destinations: ^[1].

From Dublin:

From Cork:

Lanzarote

From Knock:

Bourgas

[edit] Incidents and accidents

16 July 2003 - Excel Airways Boeing 737-800 (G-XLAG) with 197 passengers took off from Manchester Airport while vehicles were working near the end of the runway. Despite the crew being told the runway was operating at reduced length, they took off over the vehicles, missing them by 56ft (17m), according to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch ^[2].

[edit] Awards

Best Charter Airline 2006 - Travel Bulletin
World's Leading Charter Airline 2005 - World Travel Awards
World's Leading Charter Airline 2004 - World Travel Awards
Best Charter Airline 2005 - Telegraph Travel Awards
Best Charter Airline 2004 - Telegraph Travel Awards
FlightOnTime.info UK Charter Airline Punctuality Awards Summer 2002 - Runner Up

[edit] Fleet

The XL Airways fleet includes the following aircraft (as of Jan 2007)^{[citation needed]}:

XL Airways UK:

Aircraft	Number in Fleet	Notes
Boeing 737-800	14	Registered G-OXLA/B/C, G-XLAA/B/C/D/F/G/I/J/K/L/N
Boeing 757-200	2	Registered G-VKNA, G-VKND
Boeing 767-200ER	2	Registered G-BOPB, G-BNYS
Boeing 767-300ER	3	Registered G-VKNG, G-VKNH, G-VKNI

Other aircraft:

3 Boeing 747-300, Reg. TF-AME, TF-AMJ, TF-AMK operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic on behalf of XL Airways and Travel City Direct
2 Airbus A320-200 Registered 9H-AEF, 9H-AEN operated by Air Malta on behalf of XL Airways

XL Airways France:

Aircraft	Number in Fleet	Notes
Airbus A320	3	Registered F-GRSD, F-GRSE, F-GRSI
Airbus A330	2	Registered F-GRSQ, F-GSEU

Aircraft on winter leases 2006/2007:

G-XLAD to Miami Air as N906MA 10 Nov 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAE to Sunwing as C-FTAE 01 Dec 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAF to Sunwing as C-FTAF 01 Dec 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAG to Xtra Airways 15 Nov 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAH to Sunwing as C-FTAH 01 Dec 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAI to Xtra Airways 15 Nov 06 - 31 Mar 07
G-XLAJ to Travelspan Airlines 10 Nov 06 - 31 Mar 07

Aircraft Orders:

2 Boeing 747-400 to be delivered from ANA, Q4 2006, to operate for Travel City Direct.
4 Boeing 737-800 to be delivered from Boeing in Q2 2007.
2 Boeing 737-900 to be delivered from Boeing in Q2 2007
2 Airbus A330 to be delivered from Airbus, first due December 2008
20 Airbus A320 to be delivered from Airbus, first due January 2009