Mexicana

For Paco.

Mexico's other flagship airline, Mexicana de Aviación, is about to go under. it's started bankruptcy proceedings, pretty much, in Mexico and, if I understand correctly, in the US as well. This is relevant as Mexicana had several daily flights to Vegas from Mex City and from Guadalajara.

Management has been citing high labor costs, specifically pilot and crew salaries. naturally the pilot and crew unions blame company missmanagement.

Management propposed selling the company to the unions for $1 plus the obligation to pay the company's debts (much like Newsweek was sold recently). It's worth noting that the corporate parent of Mexicana also runs two other airlines, the low cost Mexicana Click and a wholly domestic operation called Mexicana Link. Both of these are doing well enough.

The company up for sale apparently handled international flights and a few domestic ones (I'm guessing the triangle of routes involving Mex City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, which are the most traveled business routes in the country).

How will this affect Mexican tourism to Las Vegas?

Perhaps not that much. Aeromexico now has a daily flight from Mex City and one from Monterrey. This doesn't replace the two daily fligths from Mex City that Mexicana has cancelled (allegedly temporarily), but there are other options. Viva Aerobus also flies from Monterrey, and you can also get to Vegas via LAX with AA, Phoenix with USAirways and Houston with Continental. Pressumably also via Atlanta with Delta, but that's going too far east to go west.

From LAX, moreover, you can also catch Southwest to Vegas. There are lots of flights to LAX from Mex City and Gudalajara, including AA, but also Alaska Air, Volaris and Aeromexico. If you don't mind crossing the border by bus, there are lots of lfights to Tijauna via Aeromexico, Volaris, Interjet and Mexicana (Link). Border crossing aside, it's a relatively short ride to Lindbergh field in San Diego. Southwest goes to vegas from there too.

That's too bad. There are already zero direct flights between Vegas and any coastal city in Mexico. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Is Mexico subsidizing flights from the US to Mexico? If not, perhaps they should. I'm sure we gringos spend plenty of dinero when we vacation south of border.

Quote: Wizard

That's too bad. There are already zero direct flights between Vegas and any coastal city in Mexico. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I can't say with certainty, but I know of none. On the other hand, it's not the kind of thing I look into.

At that way back in the 70s and 80s there were just about zero flights from the US to anywhere in Mexico but Mex City and Monterrey.

Quote:

Is Mexico subsidizing flights from the US to Mexico? If not, perhaps they should. I'm sure we gringos spend plenty of dinero when we vacation south of border.

Not that I know of. There are ads placed in the US media, and the government does attend as an exhibitor to trade shows.

BTW in the 80s there were rumors that Vegas casinos subsidized flights to Las Vegas. Thinking back on it, I think it was bunk. Any thoughts?

Quote: Wizard

That's too bad. There are already zero direct flights between Vegas and any coastal city in Mexico. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Is Mexico subsidizing flights from the US to Mexico? If not, perhaps they should. I'm sure we gringos spend plenty of dinero when we vacation south of border.

There used to be flights to San José del Cabo. on Mexicana. Phoenix has flights to 8 Mexican coastal cities, as well as three inland cities. Most of the market was generated by Air West before it was bought by USAirways. With USAirways abandoning Las Vegas it is unlikely to return.

As was pointed out earlier, airlines are reluctant to connect two vacation destinations. They feel as if you can connect in Phoenix.



They don't subsidize flights, but the government owns the airlines. They can run at a loss.

There won't be any flights to a coastal city in Mexico because there aren't any coastal cities significant enough to generate any traffic to and from Vegas. (Remember we discussed this at our coffee?!) The biggest is probably Cancun, and flying there wouldn't make much sense as you would be connecting two vacation destinations. Flag carriers are in trouble everywhere. Governments are no longer subsidizing them, or they can't operate even with the subsidies. Their business model is totally antiquated -- Southwest and JetBlue-type models are far more successful. Do you know what will happen to them? Are they likely to be swallowed up by Aeromexico? That would probably be the best option for them, I think, and might open up more space for low-cost Mexican carriers to jump in.
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I considered making the Tijuana-San Deigo trip when I was trying to get to Los Mochis a few years ago. There are very few flights there (One daily from Houston connecting in Monterrey). The border crossing and transport eventually seemed too much of a hassle, even though the price was very attractive. Ended up paying through the nose for a connection in MEX.

Quote: pacomartin

There used to be flights to San José del Cabo. on Mexicana.

I've seen that flight listed. It says the stop in the Cabo is "technical" This usually means the plane lands but no passengers get on or off. Presumably the plane is refueled or serviced, but "technical" may also means it lands someowhere along the way merely so it won't count as a direct flight. I've no idea why. I also may have it all wrong.

Quote:

They don't subsidize flights, but the government owns the airlines. They can run at a loss

Not anymore. Mexicana has been private for several years, and the government sold its majority stake in Aeromexico in 08 or 09.

The other airlines, Volaris, Interjet, Magnicharters and Viva Aerobus, have always been private. As were the late, lamented Alma de Mexico, Avolar, Aviacsa, Aerolineas Azteca, Aerocalifornia, TAESA and Aerolineas Internacionales. Actually Aviacsa isn't quite late and lamented yet, but it's a matter of time; it's been grounded for months now.

Quote: teddys

There won't be any flights to a coastal city in Mexico because there aren't any coastal cities significant enough to generate any traffic to and from Vegas. (Remember we discussed this at our coffee?!) The biggest is probably Cancun, and flying there wouldn't make much sense as you would be connecting two vacation destinations.

There are a number of international flights to Cancun. Indeed the airport there is large for Mexico. But I think most flights come from Europe and the East Coast. Anyway, flying from Vegas to MEX and thence to Cancun doesn't take you too far out of the way. Even better would be to fly to Monterrey on Aeromexico and take the Interjet flight to Cancun. Worse would be to fly to MEX, drive or ride to Toluca and take a flight from there. Whatever else you do, don't do that.

Elsewhere, particularly the western coast of Mexico, I've no idea whether there are any flights there from Guadalajara. There are fligths to almost everywhere in the country from Mex City.

Quote:

Do you know what will happen to them? Are they likely to be swallowed up by Aeromexico? That would probably be the best option for them, I think, and might open up more space for low-cost Mexican carriers to jump in.

Not too long ago the govenrment did own both Mexicana and Aeromexico, operating them through a corporation called Cintra. Back then a 70 minute flight to Monterrey was more expensive than 120 minute flight to LAX. Today, as you point out, the low costs provide comeptition, so a monster national airline wouldn't necessarily employ the powers enjopyed by a coercive monopoly.

On the other hand, Azteca, Aviacsa, Aerocalifornia and Avolar, were killed partly by low sales, partly by government action, such as grounding whole fleets citing safety violations. I don't think the governemtn was deliberately targeting small and mid size airlines, but I point out it could. Also culturally air travel is a bit suspect. it's seen as "high class" in a largely poor country. So it's vulnerable to populist governments.

There was somethign in the news today to the effect that an investment group wanted to buy Mexicana, but the details were sketchy.

The latest news is that the owners sold all of Mexicana, plus the subsidiaries, to something called Tenedora A (approx. Holder A), for a "symbolic amount." In any case the buyer is merely going fromwhere the previous management left off: they're negotiating with the unions for pay cuts, layoffs or restructuring (or a combination of all three), and ahve not invested much in the company. No word on who's left holding the debt.

To sum up: I've no idea what's going on, and if I wanted to fly to Vegas I'd take Aeromexcio, Viva or even USAriways or Continental.

I can't see ANY Mexico-Vegas flights being economically viable, not these days at least. It would just be too expensive: first you'd have to pay the fare, then the bribe to the person who issued you the boarding pass (so you would actually GET a boarding pass), then the bribe to the baggage handler to not send your bags to Panama City, then the bribe to the stewardess for a seatbelt and/or a drink of water, and finally, of course, the collection taken up to bribe the pilot so that he actually lands the plane.* Then you have to endure the processing by Homeland Stupidity when you land. Not worth it.

*This is a smaller amount than it would be if the destination were, say, L.A., because the pilot really wants to land the plane; he figures he might be able to sell it and bet the money on the Mexican national football team. Goal goal goal goal goal!!!!!!

Quote: mkl654321

I can't see ANY Mexico-Vegas flights being economically viable, not these days at least.

Grow up. Then you'll see.