Job Discussion Forums

[MELEE]

Thought this article might be of interest

How to fly Mexico's budget-friendly skies

[Dragonlady]

deleted

out of date

[yaramaz]

Where is it flying to in Canada? My partner and I are flying back to Vancouver in September before heading down to Mexico. We were wondering about costs.

[Dragonlady]

deleted

out of date

[yaramaz]

Is $588 considered cheap to fly to Mexico city from Vancouver, one way and return? I'm sure I've seen all inclusive package holidays to Cabo San Lucas or Cozumel advertised for not much more and they include a resorty hotel. I don't want or need that but I do want to know what a reasonable price is.

[Guy Courchesne]

That sounds like a decent price. You can do a bit a better flying in from Toronto or Montreal, but not by much.

[CharlieBaloney]

Thanks, Melee, for the great article (from my old employer in S.F., no less!)

In June, I'm going to take Avaicsa to Tijuana and then Southwest from San Diego to Oakland (CA) to shave off about $200 from the roundtrip fare. I'll see how accurate a friend's description of the "easy transfer" between the two airports really is.

Charlie

[dixie]

[Samantha]

The travel wholesalers purchase bulk space from the airlines and hotels, package it up, and sell if off. When the bookings are soft, sell-offs at reduced prices are available. I have known people to use these deals and forfeit the return flights. Sometimes the seat sale price (roundtrip on charters) for airfare only is cheaper than a one way on regular airline.
The roundtrip prices into Mexico are different than those out of Mexico. It includes a different tax structure.

The new discount airlines in Mexico are gaining momentum and it's a relief to see some deals to Tijuana (for one example) , where it's easy to hop across the border and fly out of San Diego. Transfers are sometimes included from TIJ to SAN courtesy of the airlline.

[velko123]

I thought this was about Mexico's domestic airlines. I've flown Volaris several times. Awesome service, reminds me of US airlines in the 70s. Thay actually give you food too
They offer shuttle service from TJ to San Diego and the same somewhere in TX.

I've noticed the US airline prices sky-rocketing since the gas scam has come into full swing. Have those living in MEX noticed increases in all forms of gas-propelled transportation in Mex?

[thelmadatter]

flew Volaris too ... from Toluca to Hermosillo... I was impressed with them as well.

[Prof.Gringo]

Bump for the summer

[Prof.Gringo]

It might not be budget-friendly for long... Back to the Greydog express!

http://www.thenews.com.mx/home/tnhome.asp?cve_home=64

Budget air travel in Mexico suffers from rising fuel costs
By JEREMY SCHWARTZ
Cox News Service

Skyrocketing fuel prices are rocking the nation's airline industry, leading to steep fare increases, the slashing of routes and what some analysts fear could be the end of low cost air travel here.

Experts say the current woes could lead to the disappearance of several Mexican airlines and an era of consolidation that could see just a handful of the country's 14 carriers survive.

At greatest risk, they say, are Mexico's fledgling low-cost carriers, which entered the market in 2005 and had a profound effect, causing traditional airlines to lower ticket prices and bringing thousands of first-time fliers into the skies.

"We are returning to the time of [expensive tickets]," said Juan Antonio Jos�, an independent airline analyst in Mexico City. "Cheap tickets are history. Forget about them."

With jet fuel costs up more than 70 percent in the last year, Mexican airlines have raised prices about 25 percent since the beginning of the year, and Jos� expects price hikes to hit 50 percent by the end of 2008.

Most sensitive to the fare increases are the legions of fliers who were lured from buses by the low cost carriers. According to low cost carrier Volaris, about one-third of passengers are first-time fliers.

But an extended period of higher fares could drive that demographic away. "They could migrate back [to bus travel]," said Francisco Guzm�n, an airline analyst with Scotia Capital in Mexico City. "But it depends on how long this lasts. If it's prolonged, say two years, that would be very bad for aviation and good for buses."

INTERNATIONAL IMPACT

The burgeoning crisis has already had an impact on international flights to Mexico. International prices on legacy airlines Mexicana and Aerom�xico have risen sharply. A round-trip flight on Mexicana between San Antonio, Texas, and Mexico City is about $600, a far cry from the $100 one-way tickets the airline was selling in the spring of 2006.

Delta Airlines, like other U.S. airlines, has cut or suspended several Mexico routes in the last year, including flights between Atlanta and Le�n and M�rida.

Among the reasons international airlines have cut flights to such secondary markets is the slowdown in migrants flying, analysts say. Migrants returning to the border had also fueled the success of some low-cost carriers. But because of stricter border enforcement, fewer migrants are making frequent visits home.

In all, Mexican airlines have cut about 15 percent of their routes, according to the Communications and Transportation Secretariat. As in the United States, several airlines have grounded their planes, preferring to not fly at all than risk losses on unprofitable routes.

Discount airlines Avolar and Aviacsa have reportedly grounded about half their fleets in recent months.

Most low-cost airlines have targeted former bus riders and offered prices slightly higher than those of the nations's luxury bus lines. But that may be harder to do as bus companies attempt to take advantage of the airline crisis.

In recent weeks, several bus companies have announced dramatic drops in prices, which they are able to do in part because the government subsidizes gasoline. Airlines have asked for a similar subsidy for jet fuel, but so far the government has opposed such help."

[Guy Courchesne]

That's too bad...things were just getting interesting in Mexico with new airlines and routes.