Air Exel
| Air Exel | |
|---|---|
|
|
| IATA code : | XT |
| ICAO code : | AXL |
| Call sign : | EXEL COMMUTER |
| Founding: | 1991 |
| Operation stopped: | 2005 |
| Seat: | Maastricht, the Netherlands
|
| Home airport : | Eindhoven Airport |
| Fleet size: | 8th |
| Aims: | international |
| Air Exel ceased operations in 2005. The information in italics refer to the last status before the end of operation. | |
Air Exel was a regional airline based in Maastricht , the Netherlands. The airline's main base was Eindhoven . Air Exel had connections from Eindhoven to Hamburg , London- Heathrow and Paris . The fleet consisted of aircraft of the types Embraer EMB 120 , Embraer ERJ 145 , Aerospatiale / Alenia ATR 42 and ATR 72 . Flight operations ceased on January 31, 2005.
The company was part of the Exel Group, a global group of airlines. These include Alsace Exel, Dutch Caribbean Exel, Holland Exel, Belgium Exel, Aruba Exel, Bonair Exel and Curaçao Exel. There was a regular exchange of the fleets within the Exel Group companies, which is why it was difficult to provide information about the exact fleet size of the individual airlines. These airlines also ceased operations on January 31, 2005.
Between 1998 and 2004 Air Exel flew under a franchise contract under the name KLM Exel. KLM was involved in the regional airline, but Air Exel was never a 100% subsidiary of the flag carrier. Even if Air Exel got its own identity back, the cooperation with KLM continued. For example, you could continue to collect miles for the KLM frequent flyer program “Flying Dutchman” on the Air-Exel routes.
The exact background of the Exel bankruptcy remained unknown, the only thing that is certain is that the Exel Group had been in financial difficulties for a long time. The managing director Erik de Vlieger was taken into custody in January 2005 on suspicion of blackmail in connection with the acquisition of an Amsterdam café. It is also linked to the bankruptcies of two other Dutch airlines, DutchBird and V Bird .
