Come for the Savings, But Stay for the Service
Written: Aug 13 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great rates, great service
Cons: Limited U.S. destinations
The Bottom Line: I used to fly Aviacsa because they were cheap, now I fly them because they have the best service going...
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Aviacsa |
I've talked about Aviacsa in some of my articles about getting around in Mexico, but it was always in the context of flying Aviacsa simply to save money. While Aviacsa continues to offer some of the best fares in the Mexican aviation industry, I've lately been flying with them even when they don't manage to undercut the competition by wide margins. The reason is simple: quality! Aviacsa continues to impress me with their good service and their good performance.
Comfort and Service
I like the cleanliness and comfort of Aviacsa's aircraft (especially the newer 737s), and I just can't say enough good things about the quality of service I get from the airline's employees.
Over the past couple years I've heard increasing grumbling about the bad service provided by many airlines (particularly the top 10 U.S. carriers).
Let's face it: American air carriers generally suck -- they have terrible service, long and very sllloooowwww lines for check-in, poor on-time performance, and likely as not, your baggage will end up at somebody else's garage sale. These things can happen on foreign carriers too, but in my experience, check-in is usually faster on foreign carriers, security is better, service is friendlier, the food is better, and the overall flying experience is better.
I've been very satisfied with the level of service and comfort aboard Aviacsa flights. The planes have generally been clean and looked well maintained. The interior of the 737s feels very similar to that of the 737s flown by Continental (similar blue and grey color scheme), except that the interior baggage compartments are a little smaller on Aviacsa.
On-time performance is excellent on most Mexican flag carriers, and Aviacsa is no exception. Aviacsa's on-time performance record is just under 90%, putting them in about the same league as AeroMexico and Mexicana (which are also quite punctual). While you could still get a cancellation on Aviacsa, your chances of that happening are about half to 1/4 what they would be with a U.S. carrier. (Look at www.dot.gov/airconsumer -- the best U.S. airlines never get much over 80% on time -- but that's still double the delay frequency that Aviacsa experiences). The worst I've ever experienced with Aviacsa was a 20 minute delay getting out of Houston, and the plane still landed on time.
As with most Latin American airlines, drinks are free and there is none of that stupid nickle-and-dime charging of $3-4 for a beer of margarita that all the U.S. carriers do -- even on domestic routes. Flight attendants almost always offer passengers candies as they board the flight.
I might have tried Aviacsa just to save money, but now I actually find the overall flying experience much more comfortable and hassle-free than flying with Continental even on the same routes through the same airports. I've always preferred flying with Continental, but given their high fares into Latin America these days coupled with their inability to quickly check-in passengers, I just find that my blood pressure stays down when I fly with Aviacsa. Continental will have to substantially beat Aviacsa's fares to get my business back, and I don't see them doing that -- which is okay with me.
Best Frequent Flyer Program in Aviation Today? Maybe...
Aviacsa has the best frequent flyer program I've ever seen in any airline in any country (Yep! Even better than Southwest's RapidRewards).
It's called AviacPass and it's simple: just save your tickets and reciepts. After 5 trips, you can get a free ticket on your most common itinerary. After 7, on most itineraries. After 8, on any itinerary including international flights or trips to Cancun.
No need to worry about accumulating and tracking miles. No complicated registration process. No partner specials du jour to lose track of. No capacity-limited redemption opportunities. No blackout periods. Just fly 5 times, then fly free. Simplicity is elegant.
Prices
I call myself the World's Cheapest Traveler and it's not an idle boast. I love getting a bargain, and that's why I first started flying Aviacsa. Fares between the United States and Mexico often run $100 or more cheaper than I can get on Continental or American. Within Mexico, the fares are almost invariably cheaper than AeroMexico and Mexicana.
Aviacsa had an ad on the front page of this weeks Travel section in the Houston Chronicle (8/10/02): $216 round-trip to Monterrey, $250 round-trip to Mexico City. I logged on to Travelocity today (8/12/02) to compare prices and I couldn't actually get that $216 fare to show up (maybe it's only offered directly through the airline) -- the best Aviacsa fare I got through Travelocity was $236. Still not bad, considering that the best I can currently do on Continental is $526 round trip or even worse, $597 on American via Dallas. Would I book on Aviacsa to save $300 on a single ticket? Hah! That's a no brainer!
Where Aviacsa Flies...
Aviacsa flies an extensive route map throughout Mexico, although their stronghold seems to be the southern states. Easiest connections are through Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, or Tijuana (note well if you're in San Diego or L.A. and are looking for cheap flights into Mexico).
Cities served via connections through those four cities include: Hermosillo, Leon, Morelia, Acapulco, Oaxaca, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Villahermosa, Merida, and Cancun.
If you're thinking of a jaunt into Central America, you could fly Aviacsa to Chetumal, where it should be easy and cheap to catch a bus into Belize City. (Aviacsa also flies to Tapachulo, but I have lingering doubts about it being easy to cross into Guatemala from there, despite the tempting geography.) If you're going to Central America, ask about flights to where you really want to go -- Aviacsa now has alliances with both TACA and COPA, so there's a chance you could get a painless connection via Mexico City.
From the United States, Aviacsa operates to and from only two airports: Houston Intercontinental and Las Vegas McCarrick and from both, they go directly only to Monterrey or Mexico City (though of course you can arrange connections onward to anywhere else).
How to Buy Tickets
Although I've had problems in the past buying Aviacsa tickets through online travel services or through local travel agents, things seem to be getting better lately.
I've recently had Aviacsa flights show up as the "best fare" several times when using Travelocity, and I'm happy to see you can buy there (where you can compare fares to make sure you're getting the best deal). I sometimes prefer Travelocity because Aviacsa's own web site is often kind of flaky.
Travel agents don't always seem to know about or promote Aviacsa flights. I had one travel agent actually tell me that Aviacsa has no information in Sabre, so couldn't be booked. I knew that was total bunk and suggested that she punch in airline code "6A". A couple keystrokes later, voila! "Oh," she says, "I guess their flights are in there." Yes, I guess they are.
The most painless way to buy tickets on Aviacsa is directly through the airline. To book tickets, call toll-free:
* In Mexico:1-800-711-6733
* In the U.S.: 1-888-528-4227
* In Houston: 713-266-6653
* In Las Vegas: 702-261-3214
Aviacsa on the Web
Aviacsa's web site underwent a ground-up renovation a few months ago, and it looks pretty slick to me. You lose nothing by switching between the Spanish and English versions of the site (all the content's there now and everything looks well translated). However, I use the site mostly for gathering information. The reservation system seems slower and less sophisticated than those used by other airlines, so I prefer to make reservations by phone. Of course your mileage may vary. If you want to check them out, their site is www.aviacsa.com.mx.
Today's Competitive Market for Flying in Mexico
In my review of ways to get around in Mexico, I mentioned two airlines as being good options for cheap flights within the Republic: Aviacsa and Aero California. These two companies are both still among the cheapest options for the thrifty but impatient wanderer, but today there's a newcomer on the competitive scene, and it's an aggressive, agile, young company that is serious competition for both Aviacsa and Aero California. I'm talking Aerolineas Aztecas.
Don't be surprised if you have never heard of this airline before. They are a recent startup that began operations about a year ago, but they seem to be very sharp and are taking pages for their management handbook from some of America's most aggressive players in the airline industry: Jet Blue and Southwest. They're flying new planes (not someone else's cast-offs) and they're flying a uniform fleet of Boeing 737s (they recently took delivery of a brand-new Next Generation 737-700 -- the first Next Generation aircraft to be sold in Mexico, according to the press release on Boeing's web site.)
Aerolineas Aztecas currently has a limited schedule, serving only a handful of destinations. From their hub in Mexico City's Juarez International Airport, they serve Guadalajara, Cancun, Tijuana, Chihuahua, Uruapan, and Morelia. In the United States, they serve El Paso, Laredo, and Dallas Texas, and are expanding into Albuquerque New Mexico. Fares are pretty good -- $352 for a direct flight from El Paso to Mexico City. A bargain considering that both American and Continental have lately been quoting me prices of $500 on up for just about any route into Mexico!
Aztecas is going to be tough competition for Aviacsa, but when an airline stresses quality while still competing on the basis of price, I think all travelers win. I only hope that when I hear of the next airline failure, that it's the price leaders who go down for the hard landing...
Should You Fly Aviacsa?
I recommend Aviacsa to anyone considering a trip to or within Mexico. I used to recommend them because they save you money. They still do that, but now I recommend them because they're good! Fly them and I think you'll agree...
Recommended:
Yes
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