Monarch Flight Changes

[Terence H]

There are also changes to the Monarch flights, from November.

See Tobago News-

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/

[Terence H]

The info concerning Monarch flights is in the article on the Virgin flights.
[Editor: Broken link removed]

Sorry did not make that clear in previous post.

[HelenH]

Any more information on the changes to monarch flights? we are hoping to book our flights soon and we were interested in monarcgh premium economy for next easter
thank you
helen

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Helen

Yes, I noticed the post and immediately checked out the Tobago News article mentioned. Sure enough, the article claims that the Monarch service is to end in early November and will be taken over by Excel Airlines. I wrote to Golden Caribbean, the main charters of the flight asking for confirmation of this and how it would affect the service, but have had no reply yet.

I did ask Monarch Pilot about this last night (he is allowed to use this nickname for airline security reasons), but he wasn't aware of the change.

Now, I can't find any information on an Excel Airlines operating in the UK, but there is a charter airline called Excel Airways. Its a new airline and is apparently going great guns. The readers of Holiday Which? voted it the best charter airline out of Gatwick and Manchester and the Air Transport Users Council listed them as number 1 UK charter airline for punctuality.

The Tobago News article says:

...

The Tourism Secretary also disclosed that a switch was being made from Monarch Airlines to Excel Airlines on the Gatwick/Tobago route from the start of the winter season in November. The airline presently operated services on Thursday and Saturday with its Airbus aircraft that has a capacity for 374 passengers. This flight is also shared with Grenada.

He noted that Excel’s Boeing 767 aircraft was capable of accommodating 281 passengers and the airline would be operating three flights a week, one direct London/Tobago, while the remaining two were each shared with Grenada and St Kitts. ...

I will obviously keep you updated as and when I find out more information about these changes, if they are actually true. I have a feeling that the Tobago Tourism Secretary Neil Wilson has let the cat out of the bag before he was supposed to, but I'm sure Golden Caribbean will clarify the official position within the next day or two.

[Terence H]

Over the years we have travelled with Caledonian, British Airways, JMC, and Monarch to Tobago.

We found Monarch to be the best. If they give up the route we will be disappointed.

Here are some comments about Excel-

PASSENGER OPINIONS
EXCEL AIRWAYS
Page 1 of 2



Excel Airways - by Peter Mills

23 April 2003

Just travelled back from Sharm El Sheikh - seating was cramped and on the outbound flight the service and food was disappointing to say the least. On a five hour flight the cabin crew didn't even manage to get the duty free trolley out! Hope we do not have to travel with them again!



Excel Airways - by J Simpson

25 March 2003

We had the misfortune to be delayed for 14 hrs at Manchester Airport with Excel Air on 11th March 2003 travelling to Tenerife on the 10.15am flight - near riot by late afternoon with passengers taking their luggage off and going home. We stuck it out and finally got away at 1am the following morning - with no compensation and lousy food to stave off the hunger as a token gesture. It completely ruined our holiday and we failed to meet our friends from the Airtours Gatwick flight which was on time. To cap it all the car hire firm had closed at 4am and did not open until 7am so finally got in 26hrs from leaving home.



Excel Airways - by Anne Sykes

2 February 2003

Excellent flight to Marrakech Jan 2003. Pleasant staff - food okay as airline food. Flights on time. Would be better if there was a ban on moving seats back especially when table needs to be down for eating.



Excel Airways - by K Rosewell

30 January 2003

I have just arrived back from Egypt flying with Excel airlines on a Boeing 737-800. We thought it was one of the best charter flights we had been on. The leather seats offered room and comfort - food outbound (breakfast) was okay but the return food dinner was excellent and the staff were polite, helpful and genuine.



Excel Airways - by David Hill

20 January 2003

Flew to Malta with Excel on 1st Jan 03 , Late night flight, I am 6ft and the spacing was the worst I have ever had to put up with. Food abysmal. The return flight - plane was so different, for the first time in years I could get my feet under the seat in front and had one of the most comfortable flights I have had in many a year - food this time was acceptable.



Excel Airways - by J Harrison

16 January 2003

We travelled to Luxor on Excel air, on Boxing Day, which is a 6 hours flight. The very cramped seating conditions surely must be against the law. My husband is only 6 foot tall, but he was suffering badly. With just 8 inches of leg room from the edge of his seat to the back of the seat of the passenger in front of him. Imagine the torture? Even more so, when that person in front reclined their seat! The guys sitting on the back row behind us were even taller than my husband and in even greater agony. Take note, this 6 hour flight time using a 737, is really just too long with those seating configurations. We will not book a holiday that uses Excel air for that distance ever again.



Excel Airways - by Brian Betts

15 January 2003

I travelled to Madeira with Excel. Departure was late due to a possible equipment fault but otherwise was very satisfied with service. Cabin staff were particularly helpful and the food was good. Seat spacing seemed no worse than any other charter airline.



Excel Airways - by H Jones

20 December 2002

The seats are at minimum pitch and the drop down tables were too big for the seat pitch and could not be lowered to the horizontal as they are obstructed by passenger stomachs. I am not a large person and the table was thrust into my abdomen to get it down. Had there been turbulence the danger to passenger safety would have been obvious. The company seemingly does not recognise this condition as being a flight hazard.



Excel Airways - by Adrian Black

20 November 2002

I had the misfortune to be a passenger on flight XLA5144 on 18 October, which was subject to considerable delay. It was not the delay itself, but the appalling way passengers were treated, and lied to as the events unfolded. Initially the boards showed a delay of "up to 2 hours" - we were told that the flight was inbound from Heraklion, but there never was an inbound flight. We were later told the delay was due to industrial action by Italian Air Traffic Controllers, or by storms over Greece - both lies, as the aircraft was in Edinburgh with a technical problem. Later we were told that a second aircraft had developed a technical problem, and that the pilot had been taken ill - pick the story you prefer! Eventually a fully crewed Britannia flight was conjured up and we departed. The Excel staff were most unhelpful throughout - actually dealing with fare paying passengers did not seem to be to their liking at all. More than a month after writing to Excel, I have not received any reply, though having read other comments on this site ,that is hardly surprising. If you have any choice in the matter, do not fly with this airline - though they may be hard to recognise if they change their name again.



Excel Airways - by Paula Whybrow

9 November 2002

We too, were unfortunately on JN62 from Malta to Gatwick on 29th Sept. 02, and agree with the other comments made by other passengers here. Excel airways treated their passengers with total disregard. Some people stranded at Luton did not have enough money to make their own arrangements for travel back to Gatwick. To date I have not received any reply to my complaint and request for refund of our train fare from luton to Gatwick. A copy of which was also sent to their managing director. Obviously the appalling service runs throughout the company, right to the top! My recommendation? Steer well clear of Excel airways!



Excel Airways - by C May

3 November 2002

I feel I have to warn other passengers not to fly with excel if they wish to be able to maintain use of their legs! I flew back from Banjul yesterday and have never encountered such a farce of an airline. Everything from check in to landing was chaotic. The flight was delayed for an hour and a half and we were kept waiting in 35 degree heat with no explanation or apology. At one point the flight even disappeared off the information screen all together! I am an averaged sized female and still had to wedge myself into the seats with my knees in the back of the passenger in front. The amount of legroom and size of the seats was unacceptable on a 6 hour flight. I hope I never have the misfortune of flying with excel again.



Excel Airways - by G Cohen

31 October 2002

I flew with my family Luton to Eilat. My views of this airline (which I believe to be a revamped Sabre Airways). The plane was a new 737-800 configured as a typical charter flight so there was just about adequate leg room and seat comfort (leather seats). However, because the plane is not as large as a 747, 757, 767 that more typically fly this route with other airlines, inclement weather meant that we had to pick up more fuel at Gatwick (the plane had originally come into Luton from Manchester with at least 30 passengers on board). The crew as a result were out of hours and a new crew took over at Gatwick. Inflight catering was a fiasco. Many passengers had independently been told by the airline that the flight was all vegetarian and any other meals could be booked at no extra cost. I had arranged direct with the airline and pre booked and paid for "special meals". On the outward bound flight our meals were fine and as ordered, however, food for the rest of the flight was not vegetarian and many misled passengers were without food on the 7 hour flight (including the stop at Gatwick). The cabin crew apologised profusely and began the task of ensuring that everyone would be catered for on the return flight. On the return flight there were 5 vegetarian meals and a few other special meals. None of the requests had been met to the extent that the cabin crew gave up their meals and did there best to sort out at least 100 angry almost riotous passengers. The crew were amazing but the airline a disgrace for failing in such a simple task. The flight had also no record of my pre-booked requirement but fortunately I had my proof of purchase and confirmation letter with me. Excel, please use your 767's in bad weather and sort our your inflight catering otherwise many passengers will use alternative airlines.



Excel Airways - by P C Maslen

13 October 2002

Further to comments of C Gould, my wife and I also had the misfortune to be on flight JN62 from Malta to Gatwick on 29 September. In the air the flight wasn't too bad for a charter flight but once we diverted to Luton because of fog, the behaviour of the airline staff at Gatwick towards passengers at Luton was unbelievable. We landed at 0405 and by nearly 1100 am there had been next to no assistance coming from Excel staff. By 1100 all remaining passengers had decided to make their own way from Luton. As we were leaving we were informed by ground staff at Luton that our aircraft had already left en route to Gatwick! I have travelled on many airlines around the world but have never known any treat their passengers so appallingly.



Excel Airways - by S Aldridge

9 October 2002

I flew back from Cyprus with Excel on 29 Sept -the lack of room and cramped conditions which we suffered on the flight was the worst I have ever encountered. I will avoid this company in future.



Excel Airways - by Jonathan Allen

7 October 2002

I took Excel LGW to Kefalonia on 26 Sept 2002. Flight left on time (early actually due to strikes in Greece). Flight was fine - legroom acceptable for a 3 hour charter flight. The staff were friendly professional and competent, but food was nothing special. No complaints, fully satisfied.


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[Steve Wooler]

As mentioned above, I wrote to Golden Caribbean last weekend, asking them if they were switching their contracted charter airline for the Gatwick/Tobago service. They haven’t replied. This is the first time that they haven’t replied to my enquiries within 24 hours. I think we can safely say that Tobago Secretary for Tourism, Neil Wilson, let the cat out of the bag earlier than he should.

However, unconfirmed sources do confirm that Excel will be taking over from Monarch this November. There are rumours that the contract may be operated in alliance with an Icelandic carrier, Air Atlanta.

It is far too early to predict how this will affect the service. However, as far as I am able to determine, Excel Airways have no prior experience in the Caribbean.

With no disrespect to Excel, I am extremely disappointed at this news. Monarch did a sterling job and without question, provided the most economic service to Tobago. Their Premium Economy service offers the best ratio of price/comfort/service that I’ve come across.

Having said that, it is claimed the Excel service will operate three times a week - one flight directly to Tobago and the other two via Grenada and/or St.Kitts. We should no pre-judge them, but if they are new to the Caribbean, it is inevitable that there will be a settling-in period.

I will obviously keep everyone posted if I hear any more and would ask readers to do likewise.