Well put Darren Couldn't agree more.

Alan

i have never complained before in my life but feel the need to. i tried to do this on the xl website but that didn't work! if anyone can shed any light on my following comments it may shed some light for me!

1. when xl fly into sharm el sheik once a day and they've had all year to plan that flight, how do they manage to delay the flight ?
2. why do they sell you head-phones when other flights would give them?
3. why do they sell over-priced junk food, and not provide a meal like most flight companies?
4. why do they spray you with what can be described as an insecticide?
5. why do they not pre-warn you about the spray and its ingredients, especially for people like my partner who have chronic asthma?
6. why are their flights ice cold?
7. why are the flight staff so miserable?
8. why do they insist on continually selling you snacks, duty free etc throughout a night flight when most humans want to sleep?
9. why do you have to buy a blanket on the ice-cold flight?
10. etc etc.........

i don't think i'll fly xl again! or recommend them to anyone!

Whats with the spray??

not such a good time eh? XL delayed me 24 hours when flying back from florida, so atleast you got back on time !

Whats with the spray??

Possibly a requirement of the destination country to kill off any insects that may be on board. Applies also to Australia as well as a lot of other destinations.

Your flight sounds like most other airlines to me.

The days of freebies on planes are increasingly coming to an end.

A few years ago I flew with MyTravel (Actually I think they were still Airtours) to Australia and we had to pay for headphones etc. although food was included.

On board sales increasingly make up much needed revenue for the airlines and to be honest as a business, their profit is more important to them than you sleep.

You ask why to ten different questions. The simple answer is............You get what you pay for!!!!

To be honest as long as an aircraft gets me there and back in one piece then I'm grateful. I don't go on a train and expect endless freebies and to be treated like royalty cos it ain't gonna happen.

The days of flying being romantic are over, its increasingly just like a bus service.

Buy hey, your alive and I trust you had a nice holiday??

The delay could be due to any number of reasons, the fact that the flight only goes once a week doesn't mean that the plane is only used once. The plane could have had a flight originating from lots of different destinations and only one delay could result in a knock on effect which would then affect your flight. You don't say how long the delay was.
Many lowcost flights( and some major scheduled airlines) now charge for headphones and meals nowadays, not just XL. I've never heard of having to pay for blankets but I'm not surprised, probably that's why the plane was so cold, so that they could make more moneyfrom blanket sales.
As to the Insect Spray, a lot of countries now request it incoming flights and the UK require it on flights from certain countries to avoid bringing in insects. I understand your concern I suffer from asthma, usually the staff announce that they are going to spray but I have experienced FA's spraying at the same time as the announcement which meant I got a mouth/eye full of the stuff. I believe though that they should tell passengers when they are going to spray.
I would also be annoyed if I was continuously bothered to make purchases during the night.
Have you written to XL telling them about your concerns. They should be made aware of your flight's shortcomings.
Hopefully inspite of your bad flight I hope you enjoyed your holiday.

Just dont try Monarch !!! Alan

Obviously never flown before!!!

Or at least not on charter, sounds like EVERY other one!

I know XL have 2 types of flights, one where all passengers get meals, the other you have to buy food onboard. Unfortunately planes don't have corden bleu kitchens so food is limited as to what they can cook!!!

"why are the flight staff so miserable"

Is it a wonder?!

& with what has happened this last week with regards to airlines and incidents, I think your choice of subject, "An XL disaster" is so far off the mark it's laughable. Think about it, it's not really a disaster is it! Have you seen the news this week?! more of a slight inconvenince

Wow, we must have been lucky with XL over the last 5 years or so. In fact, we came back last week with them from our 2 week holiday and they were fine. In fact, they were better than fine as one passenger had some health problems during the flight and the attention he was given from the crew was superb.

Sure, we have had some crews that weren't so chirpy but you just need to accept that. For me, I prefer manners much more than a smiley smiley face.

As someone has said already, you get what you pay for. Travel first class you expect and usually get first class service. You didn't pay for that therefore you had the same service that most of us receive (and usually survive)

Indeed, the UK does insist on some aircraft interiors being sprayed on arrival. It's happened to us twice when we came home from holidays in India. No matter what airline you may fly with in the future to the Middle East/Africa etc, it may be worth mentioning in advance to the crew that your wife is asthmatic.

Bill

I recently flew with XL for the first time , and have no complaints
at all. They got me from A to b safely and on time . Yes i did find the flight cold coming home but i
find all flights cool, so always take a cardigan or light jacket with me . I didn't notice anyone spraying
the cabin on either journeys, but thats not to say they did or didn't. As for headphones , well we used our own that we use for MP3 players . We got exactly what we paid, for a return journey. As for the cabin crew they were very pleasant , and helpful. I would use them again

Lynne

Sounds like the majority of charter airlines to me.

XL have actually been one of the better charter airlines this summer, at least in terms of punctuality. When you see some of the states that Thomas Cook and Monarch have gotten into this Summer, you'll see that XL have had a very uneventful season so far.

All the problems of previous Summers are definately behind them.

Found this on the internet:

XL Airways to End Caribbean Routes

http://www.sknvibes.com/News/NewsDetails.cfm/6242

Yep. Previous post confirmed. Bit of a bad show really.

Nivsy

In response to 'robbiethered':

1. when xl fly into sharm el sheik once a day and they've had all year to plan that flight, how do they manage to delay the flight ?
I think you might find that it not just XL that get delays. And they can happen for all sorts of reasons which could be out of XL hands.
2. why do they sell you head-phones when other flights would give them?
These days hardly any airlines give out free headphones. In today's financial situation airlines have to make money they best way they can, and that it by selling items such as headphone. And they are only £2.50 so its hardly an extortionate price.
3. why do they sell over-priced junk food, and not provide a meal like most flight companies?
Again hardly any airlines provide meals unless you are paying a lot of money for tickets. If you not paying a lot, you can't really expect a 3 course meal can you?
4. why do they spray you with what can be described as an insecticide?
By law from certain countries, all airlines have to spray the cabin once airborne in order to get rid of an insects which could be seen as potentially dangerous to the country you are arriving into.
5. why do they not pre-warn you about the spray and its ingredients, especially for people like my partner who have chronic asthma?
They do pre warn you. The purser on each flight announces what is going to happen over the PA for all passengers to hear. They also warn passengers to cover eyes and mouth if they do have conditions like asthma.
6. why are their flights ice cold?
Simple answer here...ask the cabin crew to turn the heating up. The flight deck control this and as they are in the flight deck they obviously do not know the temperature in the cabin.
7. why are the flight staff so miserable?
All staff? Have you seen every staff member that works for XL airways then? I doubt that.
8. why do they insist on continually selling you snacks, duty free etc throughout a night flight when most humans want to sleep?
Again referring to your question on why we sell headphones, we have to make money somewhere. We are given a bar target to meet and obviously we have to try and do this. Thought during night flights I think you'll find that we try and finish our services as quick as possible in order to let the passengers sleep.
9. why do you have to buy a blanket on the ice-cold flight?
Again we have to make money somewhere and this is where. For what your get in the comfort pack I don't think that they are that bad a price. And you get to keep them and use for your futures flights on whatever airline.

This from "The Times" online today: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article4641144.ece

Well...hopefully they'll keep going....I'm flying with them next week.

Just checked my tickets and there doesn't seem to be any re-confirmation details on them....always before I've had to call a number 48 hours before to reconfirm my return flight. Anyone else noticed this - has it caused any problems?

So glad i use this site, was going to book flights today with XL
for next year . Before actually booking i had e-mail alert , which came from
Busdriver , so i cancelled my bookings after reading what was in the Times. Well done to HT. I flew with XL this year
and had no problems so was happy to rebook . Think i will wait a bit longer to see what exactly is happening with them .