Flying with XL

[Dr Stefan Rustscheff]

Fly British Airways-they often have specials. Look at their website. I have happliy flown with them every time.

[Colin B]

In Jan 2007 we flew with XL to Grenada and had a really good last minute deal,basically 2 for the price of one! However on arriving at Gatwick there was a "technical problem" and we were put up in the Hilton and delayed overnight. The cost of the hotel must have been practically the cost of our tickets and so we didn't complain too much. However on 12th Jan this year the same thing happened with our flight to Tobago,once again we had to put up with the Hilton! Two out of two makes you think a bit and lo and behold our return on Sat 9th Feb was delayed for 5 hours finally leaving just after midnight after we checked in at 4.30. The flights themselves were ok, service fine and smiling staff even though they were also late. We will think again next time but maybe try someone else if your only going for one week. As we are not far from Manchester we might try BMI to Barbados and onward with Liat

[Sue Wright]

Got back on 2 March from a week in Tobago, flying with XL having been with Virgin for the last two years. The service was obviously not as good as Virgin - basic but adequate - the seats were comfortable, the staff friendly and the flights on time (arrived an hour early in Tobago, left 15 minutes early on our return). As with everything in life, you get what you pay for. Just as an aside, technical problems are not limited to XL - we understood from some other guests at the hotel that the Virgin flight return to the UK on 28 February was delayed overnight!

[David Watkins]

Yes the Virgin flight was delayed....but their response was-overnight accomodation and dinner,free flight miles,and in my case overnight accommodation at Gatwick.In addition they also gave a letter for insurance purposes that we were in fact delayed.BUT the main thing is the way Virgin handled the whole affair.....no excuses,no ah buts,even though there was only one young lady,Karen on that night(she was also there in the morning)she handled it very well
David,in cold,bxxxxy freezing,snowy Cornwall

[GillMathews]

Glad to hear you are home safely David. Can imagine your body stat must be working overtime trying to adjust to the vigors of the Cornish climate at the mo
I am booked with XL in May for a three week stay. Hooray . So far in the 4yrs that I have been to Tobago I have only had one short delay from Gatwick,bout one and a half hours which was made up on the journey.Hopefully I won't break my delay record this trip.However my challenge this time is how to manage with only 20kgs of luggage ( from 1st May).Yes I know that ladies allways take too much but really .Bought a smaller suitcase as a starting point and am trying not to get too stressed about it.Spose I will have to be sure to do the total mix n match thing. Oh well, I am sure that the Tobago magic will work on me anyway as soon as my feet touch the tarmac.Can't wait.
Gill xx

[Linda P]

Only recieved my tickets on Friday and discovered that the baggage allowance is reduced, should have read this thread sooner. The last I new, was the email I had from XL in September last year, when they confirmed to me that the allowance was 30kg each! They have very kindly though offered 10kg extra baggage allowance for £12.50 each way! Why are Airlines allowed to change the rules so many times once you have paid for your flight? If you buy something from a shop, they don't knock on your door three months later and say, 'by the way, that tin of beans now costs 2p more - cough up'. Last year we had to pay more a few weeks before we left because of an increase in Departure Tax

It's not fair (stamps feet in angry tantrum!)

Linda

[Tony G]

Does XL still go via Grenada on the outward flight?

Just wondered.

Tony

[Linda P]

Tony,

We are flying on a Saturday, that is direct both ways, am not sure about the Thursday flight. We prefer to fly on a Thursday, but had to change this year as both daughters, and a friend of older Daughter who is coming with us, have exams this year. As schools did not not know exact dates when we booked we had to play it safe and arrange flights for the day after school broke for half-term.


Linda

[Tony G]

Thanks for that Linda.

Tony

[Lisa Keith]

Hi Tony,

It would appear that they're flying direct on Thursdays too (looking at Expedia), but the flight takes 11 hours (Virgin is around nine... I believe). I'm guessing that the difference is the size of the aircraft and that the Virgin plane can fly faster - but that's just a guess on my part. Physics was never my strong point! Actually, aside from waffling a little on here, I've yet to discover what my strong point actually is! Oooh - wait... 80's music!! THAT's my strong point. Now why couldn't they have had THAT as a GCE option at school?!

Lisa.

[Steve Wooler]

Excel are discontinuing direct flights to Tobago from Saturday 12th July 2008, I believe. The current Thursday flight is via Greanada (hence the 11:40hrs flight time). From the end of October this year, the Thursday flight will cease. There will then be just a single weekly flight, on Wednesdays, via Grenada.

I know that XL have had a lot of criticism, but I for one am very sad at the reduction in services to Tobago.

[Lisa Keith]

Me too, Steve! Such a pity. The flights always seems to be quite full, so I'm surprised and disappointed. Perhaps it's a precautionary measure in light of the recession? I certainly hope so. Having said that, I've just booked for my family to visit in June, and I was pleasantly surprised that the flight prices were around the 300 mark - whereas in July, they were 700. I suspect school holidays are the primary reason for this. Hopefully it's only a temporary measure (ever the optimist!!).

Lisa.

[Linda P]

I agree, on a practical level a Wednesday flight is a nightmare for time off work! I will need to virtually book three weeks off for a two week holiday! As the return flight will land on Thursday morning and lets face it, it's hardly worth goping in to work on the Friday is it?

Linda

[Tony G]

Thanks all. I did look at various websites including XL but it was unclear as to whether they flew direct or not.

Tony