Fly the Friendly, Comfy, Safe, and Cheap Skies of Azteca
Written: May 19 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: New cut-rate carrier flying all-new next generation 737s
Cons: Limited routes
The Bottom Line: If you're looking for a good, inexpensive flight into or within Mexico, take a look at Azteca --- you might like what you see.
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Lineas Aereas Azteca |
Aerolineas Azteca is a young startup carrier, but they seem to be going about things the right way while not trying to bite off more than they can chew. I recently got a chance to fly with them for the first time, and it was a pretty decent experience overall --- I'd definitely go with them again, given the chance.
But therein lies the rub. I may not get too many chances to fly with them. Like most startup carriers, they're small and fly only a limited number of routes. When they fly a route you want, they're likely to give you great bang for your buck.
The Routes...
Aerolineas Azteca is based in Mexico City, and all routes basically originate or terminate at Mexico's Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). That's good in that it gives you the most possible connections to anywhere else in Mexico and through more international airlines, since Mexico City is the only airport that everyone flies through. It's bad in that you won't get a direct flight to any resort destinations from the U.S.
And speaking of the U.S., Azteca is probably a good tourist airline only if you live in Southern California or South Texas. While Aerolineas Azteca doesn't have a strong U.S. presence, they do fly into two South Texas airports (Laredo and El Paso) and into Los Angeles (Ontario, but not LAX). Folks in the San Diego area can catch their flights via Tijuana.
Although Azteca seems to position itself primarily as a Mexican carrier for Mexicans, they do serve a couple of destinations of obvious interest to gringo tourists: especially Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. For these destinations, Azteca generally offers some of the cheapest fares around. (Though Aviacsa can still beat them).
Doing Business with Aerolineas Azteca...
And finding those fares might prove your biggest obstacle to doing business with Aerolineas Azteca. Their flights are not listed in all of the big travel web sites (though you can find their flights and book tickets via Travelocity). Like many smaller carriers, some travel agents won't tell you about Azteca, and web sites like Orbitz don't include their flight listings.
Your best bet will be to do business directly with the airline.
They have a new web site online (www.aazteca.com.mx) that is very well designed and easy to use (too much reliance on ActiveX and Flash, but that's a problem with almost all Latin American web sites). I highly recommend using their web site to find information about routes and schedules.
You can also call them toll-free. In the U.S., dial 1-888-754-0066. In Mexico, dial 01-800-229-8322.
My Flight Experience...
I recently flew Azteca from Monterrey (MTY) to Mexico City (MEX). Although the tickets cost about $10 more than I would have paid on Aviacsa, I wanted to try Azteca, and besides, their flight was the first one out of Monterrey in the morning, and it got me into Mexico City by 9am, so I'd be able to have a very full first day in the city (if you think I'm frugal with money, you ought to see how I am with time!)
I love traveling through Monterrey's airport -- it's a very comfortable place to me. Big enough to offer a good range of services, but not so big as to be intimidated or crowded. I got to the airport by about 6 and was very happy with the speed of the whole checkin process. This is something that U.S. carriers seem to be getting worse and worse at, and you really notice the difference when you fly on good foreign flag carriers. Aviacsa always gets me checked in fast, and my first experience with Azteca was no less efficient and easy.
The flight boarded exactly on time and was pulling out of the gate almost exactly on the dot of its 6:50am scheduled departure. Uncivilized hour, yes, but civilized punctuality.
I'm very impressed with the aircraft too. Azteca has obviously taken a page out of the startup guide for successful new U.S. startups like JetBlue, who use new aircraft, not hand-me-down maintenance headaches like some of the less successful startups. Azteca's aircraft is a brand spanking new, next generation Boeing 737-700. It still has that "new plane smell". ;-)
Young fleets have their advantage, in terms of reliability and safety, and Azteca has the newest aircraft fleet in Mexico. Smallest too, probably --- I think they have exactly two of these 737s and nothing else.
Anyway, the plane is clean and comfortable with only one apparent class of service. Unlike U.S. discount carriers though, that one class of service is actually pretty good. I've never understood how cutbacks like refusing to assign seats saves any money, but I'm very glad that Azteca doesn't follow that particularly nasty page of one U.S. discount airlines operating book (in order to protect the innocent, I will identify that villainous villain only as Southwest Airlines).
Hot breakfast of egg and cheese burritos with fried potatoes is filling and good. Like all Mexican flag carriers, there is never any stupid nickel and diming for headsets, beer, or margaritas. Even on the short 2-hour domestic flight into Mexico City, I was offered a complimentary margarita. What a civilized way to start the day! (And what a way to hammer home how bad today's "industry practice" among U.S. carriers is when contrasting with "everyday friendly service" on even the most budget Mexican carrier.)
Anyway, an uneventful flight that arrived on time into the gate in Mexico City.
El Bottom Line...
Good service, a clean, comfortable, ultra-modern aircraft, and some of the lowest (but not THE lowest) fares in Mexico. On the whole, I'm quite happy with Aerolineas Azteca and will definitely consider flying with them again. I only hope I get the chance...
As I mentioned, the one "gotcha" is going to be their small size, limited fleet, and consequently, limited route map. On the route I flew, Azteca had only a single flight leaving at an ungodly early hour, and they didn't have return flights into Monterrey every single day. That's going to be your experience everywhere. If you can make your schedule fit theirs, or if you luck into a flight that's going on your schedule, go for it. Otherwise, at least check out their web site before making that next trip south of the border. You could get first class service for a decidedly tenth class price.
Until next time, see you on the road. As always, I'll be the guy sitting in the cheap seats. After all, they don't call me "The World's Cheapest Traveler (tm)" for nuthin'!!
Recommended:
Yes
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