XL Airways France

New York to Paris. Our 9.30pm flight was delayed one hour, without explanation, then another hour and moved to another gate, again with no explanation. Then the flight was delayed another hour or so again, no explanation. Boarding of the flight began, and then the flight was cancelled - without explanation at 11:45 p.m. The staff asked for patience, but no information was given to the passengers until after 1:00 am. The reason for the cancellation was that the airline overworked the flight crew. This is something that could have been determined by 8:00pm, but the majority of the passengers did not get a hotel until 3:00 am due to the overwhelming incompetence of the staff of this airline. They did not assist, offer information, they were rude, condescending and complained to the rightly frustrated customers that we were somehow ungrateful for their efforts to not get us to Paris on Christmas Eve. I've never seen such an impressive display of incompetence, and such rampant disregard for the most basic notion of customer service.

My daughter booked a one-way trip to Paris. XL Airways France was the clear cheapest ($500 instead of $1800). Before leaving for the airport we checked online that the flight was still scheduled on time. Arriving at the airport it was scheduled with a 2-hour delay. Check-in was fine. We knew they were very strict with luggage size and weight so we had been careful when packing. Eventually the flight boarded on time but the plane did not leave the gate. After waiting for two hours, we were told that passengers were missing and they had to deplane the aircraft and everybody had to take their luggage back. The plane would leave the following day. We go back to the airport the following day. Plane finally left JFK but it did not go to Paris as planned it first stopped in Montreal to pick up crew members. Flight finally arrived in Paris 3 hours later than the revised arrival time (ie 20 hours later than the original schedule).

I purchased 2 JFK-Paris tickets from XL Airways on their site in August 2014, and paid with my credit card. 5 minutes later I received the e-tickets in my email and they were for Paris-JFK. I called them immediately and they told me I should call their booking office in Paris. After getting the runaround to obtain their phone number, I managed to talk to a lady in France and I explained to her that I live in New York and I will be leaving from JFK. I asked her to reverse the itinerary, to make it JFK-Paris. She said there was nothing she could do about it and that she will submit the request to her boss. After many calls, I got from them an email address where I should send my request to correct the itinerary; which I did. After 4 or 5 days they replied to deny my request. However, after calling many more times, they agreed that if I buy 2 new tickets (JFK-Paris) from their site and send them the proof of it (?) they would reimburse me for the erroneously issued tickets for Paris-JFK. I bought 2 new tickets from their site, mind you each at $200 more than the initial ticket price, and sent them the proof of purchase, and they reimbursed me. The day of departure, at check in, they informed me that they only allow 40 lb per ticket (instead of the usual 50 lb per ticket) and they charged me $140 for the 20 lb excess baggage. On the plane, you get charged $14 for a blanket, $7 per drink, and $5 for earphone to listen to music or movie. When I initially bought my tickets from them, I thought I had a good deal, saving $300 on 2 tickets over Air France's price. However, XL Airways were unimaginably rude and unfair, and they will find every excuse to deny you your due to charge you more, and likely incentivise their employees to extract the max from clients. At the end it was mega bad deal as it cost me $250 more than if I flew with Air France and minus AF courteous service and always ready to accommodate you attitude and the perks on board: super food, good wine and free blankets, earphones, movies etc.

I can't complain about the flight itself due to the price. I live in Paris and have double nationality. However, I was traveling on my American passport (as one is obliged to do when traveling to the US) and when I got to JFK for my return flight to Paris, XL Airways France to give me a boarding pass unless I produced a french passport, which I had not brought with me. To my surprise, my french identity card had expired in July. XL Airways forced me to buy a return ticket to the US (which I will not be able to use) or wouldn't allow me on my return flight. They said that I risked being sent back to the US. I have flown in and out of Paris for 25 years using my US passport without problem - and this trip was the same; the french authorities stamped my US passport with no question. Has anyone else had this kind of problem with XL Airways or any other airline?

On an economy flight you should not expect to much. But you should expect something. It starts with not being able to check in and print boarding passes on line. Next, if your not aware, please note that luggage weight limit is 44 lbs not the standard 50. Very little assistance for the disabled. They offer everything you may need, at a price. Pillows, blankets, drinks (water free, meal) all at substantial cost. Worst though are the very small and hard seats. Most uncomfortable flight in my life. Attendents slow to respond to any request unless your buying something. On the positive, flight was on time. Never fly again with XL.

I flew XL Airways France from New York to Paris and back, returning on Sunday Septemeber 27th into JFK. The airline had an extremely friendly crew on both leg, the inflight food was up to standard, and the flights departed as scheduled. The whole experience with this airline was great. I will say this much I rarely give reviews, I felt impelled to share my personal experience which was 100% pleasant.

After flying the 11:55 pm XL Airways France flight from New York JFK to Paris and returning a week later, I have to say this was the best airline I have flown! It was a new plane, seats were tight like all economy flights but I was fairly comfortable. Staff was very friendly and the flight took off and landed on time both trips. The meal was pretty good and they walked around constantly offering free water throughout the flight. They had drinks but I was okay with water. The movies were in French, but I slept so it didn't matter. I spent half what I would have on any other flight and it would have been a waste. The flight was perfect and I highly recommend this airline.

We were apprehensive, having looked at unfavourable XL Airways France reviews. This was a round-trip flight New York-Paris. Both flights were on time. We are not small people. The seats, which we paid extra for, were standard size and comfortable. The food was airline food, but above average for its class, and they offered seconds of rolls. The downsides : you can't check in online and they don't offer accommodations for handicapped or seniors until you've checked in. So, if that's your situation, be warned. We got to the airport the customary 2.5-3 hrs ahead of boarding and had no problems, though. you have to email for the seat upgrade - it's not possible online. The video entertainment, on central screens, looked really awful, but it didn't matter to us.

My flight from New York to Paris today was the most uncomfortable I've ever taken. Understanding that XL Airways France is a budget airline, my expectations weren't particularly high, but they failed to provide even the most basic level of comfort and hygiene. The smell inside the aircraft was quite terrible. They're able to offer a lower price by fitting more people onto each flight. I'm not a large person by anyone's standards, but I found myself constricted by the width of the seat and squashed against the passenger to my left. Not ideal on a 7 hour flight. The aircraft had no overhead vents and the temperature was too high. No pillows are offered, and I think it's unreasonable to suggest that pillows aboard an international flight are a luxury. This is the first international flight I've been on that didn't offer a small pillow or blanket. The bathroom was a disgrace. The attendant did his best to mask the smell with some kind of spray, but it hardly helped. At no point was water offered to passengers during the flight. Again, it'd be absurd to suggest that basic refreshments are a luxury. What makes all of this worse is that I paid an additional $70 I paid for a 'seat upgrade'. Granted I had some extra leg room, but I was positioned underneath a leaking door seal and so by the time I left the aircraft I had wet shoes. I'm not looking forward to my return flight.

Just flew XL. Five hour delay leaving NY. An hour late boarding, then circling the tarmac. Returning from Paris was just as bad. Another delay. Then people boarded, then were told to disembark. We were told a 40 min delay, then were called to board 5 min later. The service was horrible. We sat in the front of plane, rows 1-12. The one attendant on the starboard side of the plane were rude. Attendants were adept at passing their eyes over anyone who needed anything. Don't be fooled by low prices, it is only a relflection of terrible service and extremely uncomfortable seat with very thin cushions.