Excel Airways is one of the UK's major charter passenger airlines and provides mainly short-haul services to European and Middle Eastern leisure destinations, from it's three bases of London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. The Boeing 757 is a twin-engine, short- to medium-range jetliner. It is up to 80 percent more fuel efficient than the older 727 jetliners it was designed to replace, but retains the 727's short-field capability. The 757-200 carries up to 228 passengers and has a range of approximately 3,900 nautical miles.