Revenue management's algorithms seem to lead to a high probability of specials being offered to disaster areas. Suppose all that is taken into account are passenger loads, and the flight schedule is taken as operating for granted. If loads are unusually light (say, due to a hurricane leading to few people wanting to go there and those previously booked canceling or rescheduling), then it will look to the computers like this is a good weekend to post a special.

There is a pattern here - there were specials IAH-Gulfport over the weekend Katrina hit, and NYC-IAH when Rita was in town. Having EWR-CUN now seems right in line with that pattern.