Working at Excel Airways?

[president]

Can someone spread some light on the working conditions in Excel Airways please? What are the pros and cons? Would a young pilot find it more attractive than places like ryanair or easy jet you think?
Thanks!

[omnidirectional737]

Excel is a good outfit to work for, busy during the summer quieter in the winter flying about 500-600 hours a year.

[Bleedair]

Good people and a relaxed atmosphere. I like it.

[bushbolox]

It was fun when I worked there until recently. :}

[Knee Trembler]

Good points - New aircraft; expanding fleet; varied routes; some of the nicest people you could hope to fly with.

Bad points - Rostering can be chaotic; 737 is very cramped for a 6 hour sector; no seniority list so promotion can be hit and miss; too much use of contract pilots.

Overall - I am happy there and can think of an awful lot worse places to be. They lost a lot of people to Ryan - God knows why!

KT

[Puppet Master]

Good points - New aircraft; expanding fleet...
Bad points - Rostering can be chaotic; 737 is very cramped for a 6 hour....
KT


Oh yeah cause excel only fly 73s! Never mind the other half of the company... 75/76 and leased 74s

[go_edw]

Does excel crews operate the 747s or Atlanta crews?

Thanks

[Puppet Master]

Excel Pilots make up the bulk of the crew on the 74. Topped up in the summer with Air Atlanta Icelandic crew. The Aircraft are wet least from AAI. They are run on an Icelandic AOC. But as you can tell from some people’s posts, in some people’s minds, Excel is still just a 73 fleet.

[president]

can anyone be more specific about unstable roster? If so many pilots are leaving for ryan they must have a motive. Is the salary not competitive in excel or what? Would it be better if working on an air atlanta contract in the company?

[omnidirectional737]

There is no AAE contract any more the AOC have been merged. Rosters tend to change frequently over the summer but your days off remain the same, unless you want to sell them to the company that is. I would be very surprised if the grass is greener at RYR, I suppose it is horses for courses but the money is ok and getting better with this years pay deal agreed by BALPA, for most people that is.:cool:

[Devils Martini]

No complaints whatsoever, great bunch of people, challenging flying into interesting destinations, nice new -800s (and soon, -900s), and all round very enjoyable days at work.

I am just out of training and hand flying a shiny new 737 into some greek island and being paid to do it - I couldn't have asked for more!

[coolfalcon]

Is it true that Excel is only " hiring" contract pilots just to fullfil their summer requirements, and that they are not interested in hiring permanent flight crews, and by that i mean experienced flight crews?

thanks

[omnidirectional737]

I think they would be very interested in hiring people with the right experience, rumour has it that they are moving away from contracting soon.

[coolfalcon]

thank you very much

[frogone]

Who do Excel use to recruit F\Os? Is it Storm as I previously heard?

Are Excel looking for guys as there's nothing on Storm's site for B737 FO.

IR

[BlueVikingFlyer]

According to reliable sources within XL management there will be an ad in Flight International for recruitment in August. Recruitment is supposed to be for permanent positions on most fleets within XL. Most of those on current Storm contracts are to be offered permanent contracts with XL. Official announcement to come next week to employees about this.
:D

[endofeng]

Would love to fly for Excel from MAN, anyone know who I should be sending my CV to?

Many thanks

-----------
endofeng:ok:

ps 1200TT, 1000Heavy Turbo Prop

[Captain Greaser]

Is it true there baseing a long hauil aircraft in Dublin?

[wheelbarrow]

As all the replies seem to be from 73 pilots, I'll stick my oar in from the 75/76 point of view.

Rostering is totally chaotic and relies on panic management, imaginative manipulation of CAP 371 and minimum 8 days off in 28 (even in winter, when crews are on standby for non-existent flights). Contract pilots were brought in for the summer and due to issues with airside ID's hardly ever flew. Rest days are looked at as indefinite standbys. Expect crewing to call you in the middle of the night if you leave your phone on.

Salary is distictly average.The flying is OK and the majority of the crews easy to get on with. A number of F/O's have been promoted in the last year. Training is OK but expect to do your ground subjects twice as they'll lose all the paperwork the first time.

In summary, if you want hours, a reasonable chance of promotion and a mix of long and short haul, and don't mind your life taking second place, it's great.

[ALCHPA]

Hi, I have an interview coming up shortly with XL and was wondering whether anyone might have already attended one of the interviews and can give some feed back / advice! Thanks

[MrMutra]

Well done and congrats with the interview. What is you experiance level ? just heard that you have to be type rated and hours on type or buy a rating through storm... not sure how true this is.

MrM