Not eleven years ago, euringineer, but nine, just about this time actually, late October.
And, not XL, the parent company, AAI, due to suspected duff maintenance practices...missing serviceable tags, etc.
You must be a newby to have not realised this...:ugh:

Facts Not Fiction
 

411A Old boy let me please update you on the history of XL and of the British Flight Crew B747 Type rated.We were spun off in 2003 as AAE from AAI just as the AVION GROUP WAS FORMED TO HEAD UP AAI,AAE,AAT and the Maintenance Logistics Group at Manston.The Avion group bought XL Airways in 2004 who assumed control of UK OPS for the group and built a nice new Company HQ at LGW opened by a Minister of the Icelandic government.In 2005 XL Management bought themselves back from the Avion Group and we Brits went to XL who bought Travel City Direct and other travel specialists to form XLLG(LEISURE GROUP).XL brokered the MOD contract and leased another TF B747-300 to fly the route using XL crew backed up by AAI as required.So we had 3 Classic Jumbos maintained by AAI in the UK.The operation has been checked on numerous occasions and has never been grounded.The reason the a/c never became G reg is because it was not economically viable to register the -300(never on G reg).The DfT allows the TF a/c if it is obvious to them that for practical purposes its operation for us is necessary.I think you now have more than enough evidence to withdraw your allegation that we are related in any way to a distant ACMI L1011 Operator.I think you must be an ex AAI contractor who spent too much time in the desert!!!The main base is now Jeddah so why dont you rejoin.

Sorry, my mistake, they are 737-300s and 400s. The guys wished that they were 800s. Still leased from BA in any case.