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'XL Airways' is a British charter airline with headquarters at Crawley in the United Kingdom, it is part of the XL Leisure Group. XL Airways is a trading name for XL Airways UK Limited. XL Airways 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.
Two other airlines within the group use the XL Airways branding; XL Airways France and XL Airways Germany.
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]
From the 2007-2008 season, XL Airways will be the new sponsors of West Ham United F.C.[2]

Contents

History

XL Airways Ireland

Incidents and accidents

Awards

Fleet

External links

References

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 January 2004 Excel Airways appointed Web Liquid a Digital Marketing and Consulting agency to spear head its online strategy as well as direct to consumer communications.
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.

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.

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.

XL Airways Ireland

In May 2006 XL Airways announced that it would be launching an international airline in Ireland and would commence flights in Summer 2007. The airline commenced operations from Dublin, Cork and Ireland West(Knock) in May 2007 with its inaugural flight operating Dublin - Palma on 1st May. Flights are offered to the following destinations: ^[1].
'From Dublin:'

★ Bourgas

★ Faro

★ Lanzarote

★ Paphos

★ Palma

★ Reus

★ Santorini

★ Skiathos
'From Cork:'

★ Lanzarote
'From Knock:'

★ Bourgas

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 56 ft (17 m), according to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch. ^[2]

★ 4 November 2004 - The left wing of an Excel Airways Boeing 767-200 (G-SATR) struck the right horizontal stabiliser of a stationary bmibaby Boeing 737-300 while both aircraft were awaiting departure from Manchester Airport. The investigation concluded that the Excel 767 Captain, who bore primary responsibility for collision avoidance, misjudged the available separation due to a combination of physiological limitations, distractions and a false assumption regarding his Air Traffic Control clearance. ^[3]

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

Fleet

The XL Airways UK fleet includes the following aircraft (as of June 2007) ^[4]:

Aircraft	Number in Fleet	Notes
Boeing 737-800	12	Registered G-OXLA/C, G-XLAA/B/C/D/G/I/J/K/N/O
Boeing 757-200	2	Registered G-VKNA, G-VKND
Boeing 767-200ER	2	Registered G-BNYS, G-BOPB
Boeing 767-300ER	3	Registered G-VKNG, G-VKNH, G-VKNI

Other aircraft:

★ 2 Boeing 747-300 (two Icelandic-registered aircraft (from Air Atlanta Icelandic) are wet-leased until 15 November 2007^[5][6])

★ 1 Boeing 737-800 (one Canadian-registered aircraft (from Sunwing) is wet-leased until 11 November 2007Civil Aviation Authority Official Record Series 2, Number 1796 Dated 1 May 2007 Part 3 Use of Foreign Registered Aircraft)

★ 2 Boeing 737-800 (two Canadian-registered aircraft (from Sunwing) are wet-leased until 30 November 2007)

★ 1 Boeing 757-200 (one Finnish-registered aircraft is wet-leased until 31 October 2007)
Aircraft Orders:

★ 2 Boeing 737-900 to be delivered from Boeing in Q2 2008

★ 4 Airbus A330 to be delivered from Airbus, first due November 2008

External links

★ XL Airways UK and Ireland web portal

★ XL Airways France

★ XL Airways Germany

★ XL Airways In-Flight magazine

References

1. XL.com 2 December 2007
2. Report No: 3/2006. Report on the serious incident to Boeing 737-86N, G-XLAG, at Manchester Airport on 16 July 2003
3. Boeing 767-204, G-SATR and Boeing 737-37Q, G-ODSK
4. G-INFO Aircraft Register
5. Civil Aviation Authority Official Record Series 2, Number 1795 Dated 24 April 2007 Part 3 Use of Foreign Registered Aircraft
6. Civil Aviation Authority Official Record Series 2, Number 1797 Dated 8 May 2007 Part 3 Use of Foreign Registered Aircraft