Slightly OT, but a couple of weeks ago I had a weird experience with Mexicana. I was flying GDL-MEX on an Aeromexico-operated afternoon flight. I went to their offices in GDL and asked them if I could take an earlier flight. Their response was that I would have to pay $100 to change my ticket (it was part of an international itinerary) and that I could not stand-by for an earlier departure. Of course, this was done with quite an attitude by the matrons working there. I later called the 1800 number and was told the same thing: I could not fly standby, I had to change my ticket.

Of course, when I got to the airport, the guy at Aeromexico's check-in had no problem giving me a boarding pass for the flight leaving one hour earlier and he told me that of course I was allowed to fly stand-by.

So, was this because Aeromexico allows stand-by and Mexicana does not? Or did I have bad luck with whom I spoke to? Either way, I lost almost an entire day in Mexico City because of this.