Excel Airways Review

Overall Rating

Punctual
Acceptable long haul accommodation
CHEAP

Long haul Gatwick to Orlando Sanford with 3 young children - dreading it after reading other reviews of Excel Airways on here. Had to comment to redress balance. Personally go transatlantic at least 4 times annually with major carriers - this is NO WORSE THAN ANY OF THEM AND IS LESS THAN TWO THIRDS THE PRICE.
Leg room is slightly cramped, but rather better than some scheduled carriers on this route. No seat back TVs for kids and entertainment limited due to this (newer aircraft start Nov 2008 and will offer this facility), although there are movies/TV shows. Smaller baggage allowance than scheduled, and food (again, like most others), pretty much swill in my opinion. Cabin crew perfectly nice - there are accommodations to be made given the price you pay, like limited food and drink, and extras (headsets etc) all at small cost.
Check in at both ends perfectly affable and easy. Flight was smooth and on-time - plane clearly an older one, but of very similar vintage to those used by Delta and US Airways on similar transatlantic jaunts.
End up at Sanford airport rather than Orlando International - extra 30 minutes drive, but not an issue for anyone taking a hire car. Once you get airside, Sanford actually has rather more than MCO for families/children - a few more shops and a small arcade.
For sake of fairness, I will say they lost one of our bags on the way home, but this was couriered to us at home within 48 hours undamaged and with good humour all round, in direct contrast to similar experiences with other major airlines.

Look chaps - get real about what you are buying. It's a charter airline with smaller numbers of staff and a more limited fleet than major scheduled competitors - if things go wrong, they can't fly in a replacement plane at an hours notice, as they have only got 3, and they are flying full time, all the time. You WILL get less baggage allowance (20 kg), and the entertainment/food/drink on-board won't be world class. You will end up slightly further away from Disney World.
All of that said, your seat won't be any worse than if you'd paid for a scheduled ecomony fare, your basic flight will be no longer, and, most importantly, you will save a very large sum of money. You pays your money and takes your choice.

From a personal standpoint, even with a large and young family, it was perfectly fine, and we saved £1100 over the next cheapest quote from a scheduled competitor. For us, this was a great choice, and it may be for you too - if you go in with your eyes open, this can be a great option.