Mexicana SMF-GDL-MEX
 

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) for years had been “international” in name only. But last summer Mexicana Airlines inaugurated non-stop service to Guadalajara with continuing service to Mexico City. La Cochinita’s family reunion and baptism of our newest niece in Mexico City last weekend provided a perfect opportunity to try this new service. Historically we’ve flown UA to MEX via SFO or LAX.

MX-963 SMF-GDL-MEX (20-Feb-2003)
We arrived at the old terminal building at SMF approximately 90 minutes before the scheduled 8:30 a.m. departure. Mexicana has its own counter but staff is supplemented by folks from Frontier Airlines. A single quick-moving line, regardless of FF status or whatever, snaked through the terminal. At the head of the line was a podium where a CSR checked ID and verified itineraries. Passengers in coach were then directed to one check-in line while Star Gold (me!) and Clase Ejecutiva passengers went into another queue. We were directed to the *G check-in counter where a friendly Frontier agent worked on our check-in. My son and I were on one PNR and La Cochinita was on another as she is staying an extra few days in MEX. Little did we know at the time, but this would prove to be significant upon our return.

We had brought along a baby swing (boxed) for our niece that we wanted to check as luggage. Not a problem, but we were advised that it would be a good idea to have the box shrink-wrapped. Cost was five dollars and was immediately handled behind the counter. All checked luggage was sealed with plastic Mexicana numbered ties and the bag tags were stamped as “cleared” by the TSA. No priority tags were offered for *G and I forgot to ask so I don’t know if MX even offers them.

Upstairs security was quick, at least for my son and I. I had warned my wife that she had better send her boots through the machine, but she forgot and set off the alarm. A friendly but thorough TSA agent professionally handled her secondary inspection.

Boarding commenced right at 8:00 a.m. Clase Ejecutiva and *G passengers were invited to board our Airbus-319 named “Mexicali”. A selection of Mexican newspapers and USA Today were offered on the jetway to each passenger.

The flight looked to be approximately 75% full. We settled into 7ABC; Mexicana definitely does not have MRTC or Premier seating. My sister-in-law had the exit row 10A seat and offered to switch with me, but our 7-year-old son insisted that he had to sit next to his daddy. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif So I stayed where I was in 7C.

We pushed back on time and soon we were heading southeast for the three hour flight to GDL. All of the PA announcements were prerecorded in Spanish and English. There were no announcements or comments from the flight deck and, in fact, we never saw the flight crew. Just after takeoff the flight attendants distributed the Mexican Immigration Forms (Tourist Cards) and Mexican Customs Forms.

The businesslike flight attendants then passed out headsets; the movie Sweet Home Alabama was shown en route plus there were music channels available. Breakfast choices were scrambled eggs or apple pancakes. We all had the pancakes, which came with fresh fruit and a roll. The pancakes were actually pretty good. One beverage cart service was given (sodas come from plastic two liter bottles…no full cans here) and then the flight attendants disappeared to the back of the plane para chismosear (to gossip with each other).

Upon arrival to Guadalajara’s International Airport, which frankly looked as if it has seen better days, we parked on the tarmac and deplaned down airstairs to a waiting bus. The bus drove us the 50 yards to the terminal building where we cleared Mexican Immigration. Those of us in transit to Mexico City were given a transit card and directed to the transit lounge. There we found a duty free shop and a small snack stand (which will happily accept US dollars). We used the clean restrooms, bought some sodas and bottled water, and waited the 40 minutes or so before the continuation of our flight began boarding. We were bussed back out to the same aircraft and took our same seats. The passengers originating in GDL were then brought out to the plane and soon we were in the air for the 45 minute flight to MEX. Beverages and lunch (ham & cheese croissant sandwich, chips, fruit) helped pass the time.

After a bumpy approach we landed to the southwest at Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). Since we had cleared immigration in Guadalajara, the flight was now a domestic one and we pulled in to the national terminal. After a long walk we found baggage claim where free carts were available. Our luggage quickly came out. A portable customs station was set up next to baggage claim and those of us coming from Sacramento were invited to play Red Light Green Light. We got the green light. My wife’s youngest sister and brother-in-law were waiting for us and after a quick ATM run to get some pesos (US$1 = apx.11 pesos) we soon headed off into the maelstorm known as Mexico City.

(continued below!)

[This message has been edited by El Cochinito (edited 02-28-2003).]

Great report, can't wait for the next installment. What level of Spanish would one need to get around Mexico City?

Good details. It sounds as if it would be easy to bypass customs, more so with carry on luggage, something that is easy to do in Europe now.

Mexico City
As this was a family visit, and over the years we’ve been to the tourist sites in Mexico City, I’ll just make some general observations and comments about our visit to this fascinating city.

Do I need to know Spanish?
I think it is fair to say that tourists sticking to the tourist zones in Mexico City can get by without any knowledge of Spanish. However do not automatically assume that folks speak English; it is polite to ask them first (i.e., “Usted habla ingles?”) I’ve found over the years that Mexican people are appreciative of foreigner’s attempts to speak Spanish and will encourage you to try out those phrases you’ve learned. Foreign language study is mandatory in Mexican secondary schools, and English is the most popular foreign language.

Mexican people are generally more formal than you might be used to. For example you should greet shop owners upon entering and leaving their store. A simple “Buenos Dias” (Good Day) will do.

Getting Around Town
Rule #1 – Do Not Drive.
Rule #2 – If you break Rule #1, avoid rush hour (pretty much all day) and know in advance where you are going. Be prepared to deal with intense traffic.

Parking is a hassle, especially downtown. If you use valet parking, do not leave anything visible that is valuable in the car. If you park yourself, do not leave anything visible that is valuable in the car. On the way to the airport, we stopped off at my brother in law’s photography studio in Azcapotzalco. Even though we parked right in front of the studio, he insisted on taking our carry-on bags inside (we left the suitcases locked in the trunk).

Rather than parking downtown in the Historic District, my brother in law parks at a self-service garage located at the corner of Hidalgo and Reforma just across from the loading dock of the La Prensa newspaper offices. The rates are good and the garage is fairly secure. The Hidalgo Metro station is located just a few steps away from the garage and I think it was only three stops to the Zocalo Metro station (which is the main central square of Mexico and the heart of the Historic District).

The Mexico City subway system is easy to navigate and cheap. However it can be overwhelmingly crowded during the morning and evening rush hours. Watch out for pickpockets at all times.

The streets and sidewalks in the Historic District near the Zocalo are undergoing renovation; several are closed to traffic but pedestrians can still get around.

There is a tourist hop-on / hop-off bus that makes the rounds between the tourist sites. I think there is a stop near El Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts).

Be careful about using taxis on the street. Ask your hotel to call you one. Or if you are out and about, find a hotel and take one from there. If you are at a restaurant, ask to have one called for you when you finish dining. Taxi drivers are supposed to use the meter. Tipping the driver is not customary unless he performs a special service.

Cost of Living
The middle class of Mexico City is getting squeezed more and more by higher prices and taxes. Gas is more expensive than the US, around $2.50 per gallon for regular. We found groceries and clothing to be roughly the same in price as at home. Baby clothes and baby stuff are outrageously expensive, probably two to four times the cost of the same items at home.

However there are still some good buys; I picked up a couple of high quality leather dress belts downtown for US$22 and a pair of dress shoes at Sears for US$50. I found an excellent selection of booze at La Europea store (kind of like a Beverages and More store) at very competitive prices.

Dining Out
I strongly recommend El Cardenal (www.elcardenal.com.mx) at the Sheraton Hotel downtown near La Alameda. Great service, superb traditional Mexican dishes, and reasonable prices for what you get. There is also the original restaurant located near the Zocalo which is a very traditional place frequented by senators and representatives from the nearby National Palace. We enjoyed meals at both of their locations.

We also managed to visit Burger King and McDonald’s a few times to keep our son happy.

Money
I use an ATM card to withdraw pesos from ATM tellers located all over town. For some reason my card doesn’t work with Bancomer bank ATMs, but works everywhere else. So if you run into difficulties using your card, try a couple of other branches first.

You can exchange money at money exchange shops (Cambios) or banks.

Personal Safety
Unfortunately Mexico City’s crime rate has been rising, somewhat significantly, over the past few years. However the tourist areas are reasonably safe if you take the usual big city precautions. I can truthfully say that we have never felt unsafe during our visits. But now having said that, I must sadly report that my in-laws have just about all been assaulted and robbed at one point or another over the years. In particular:

Brother-in-law #1 had his briefcase stolen at a valet parking lot. It contained blank check stock for his business. Lost US$3000 before stop check order went into effect at his bank.

Sister-in-law #1 robbed at knifepoint at the family’s store.

Brother-in-law #2 and sister-in-law #2 attacked in their carport in broad daylight by two thugs who beat them up and stole the family’s new VW Jetta. No, it was not insured for theft, just liability. Scumbags threatened to kill him and rape my 14 year old niece and my sister-in-law but only tied them all up after ransacking the house.

Brother-in-law #2 has also been carjacked twice (he is an auto parts wholesaler who drives a route throughout central Mexico). On the first occasion the thugs took his truck. On the second occasion the thieves stripped him naked, threatened to kill him, and took the replacement truck. He is now on his third truck.

Brother-in-law #3 photo studio broken into – thief squeezed into through a small window on the second floor and stole a US$4500 digital camera, Macintosh computer, and other equipment.

My wife’s favorite aunt and family were also victims of a home invasion robbery a few years ago.

Hopefully the city government's recent anticrime initiatives (increased police force, stiffer sentencing guidelines) will help curb these types of incidents.

But again, don't let this scare you from visiting Mexico City. The government realizes the importance of tourism to the national economy and there is a noticable security presence anywhere you'd likely go.

Continued Below!

[This message has been edited by El Cochinito (edited 03-03-2003).]

Thanks for this report.

Always wanted to know about mexicana.

MX962 MEX-GDL-SMF 26-FEB-03
My son and I were driven to the airport in the mid-afternoon by my brother-in-law; traffic was surprisingly light by Mexico City standards. By 2:30 p.m. we had arrived at the airport, well in advance of the 6:30 departure time. We pulled in to the short term parking lot for the National Terminal, which is where we suspected our flight would depart. I say suspected, because two CSRs at Mexicana reservations center couldn’t confirm whether the Sacramento flight departed from the National or International terminal at MEX. Turns out we made the right choice.

Mexicana Clase Ejecutiva and Star Gold passengers have a separate set of check-in desks in the National Terminal. Although the terminal was packed with passengers, there was nobody in the *G line. We stepped up and I flashed my United Mileage Plus premier executive card for admittance to the exclusive blue carpeted queue. A rent-a-cop asked which bags we planned to check and applied plastic Mexicana cable ties seal them.

Check-in was going fast and I was beginning to think we had gotten to the airport WAY too early. The CSR handed me back our passports and then asked if I had a notarized letter from my son’s mother authorizing him to travel without her outside of La Republica de Mexico. Uh oh. This could be problematic. We KNOW that when one of us travels to Mexico alone with our son to bring a notarized permission letter, even though we’ve NEVER been asked to produce it. And we’ve always figured it was something that was checked by immigration authorities upon entry to Mexico, not by airline CSRs upon leaving the country.

So an animated discussion, in Spanish, took place between me, my brother-in-law, and the CSR. The basic gist was that the boy’s mother was staying a few extra days in Mexico City and is staying at my brother-in-law’s house. If necessary, Mexicana can call the house and speak to her. Or perhaps even verify her reservation in the computer as I have her PNR number. I’m running through the various options in my mind:

1) Have La Cochinita come to the airport and find a notary public to do a letter.
2) Pay a change fee and have our son stay in Mexico with mom – send notarized letter to her by overnight service after returning home.
3) Ask if there was some other way we could resolve this problem.

I decided to go with option 3, figuring that there was nothing to lose. The CSR said we’d have to speak with a Mexicana supervisor, so we were sent to La Oficina to find one. Well as it turns out El Señor Supervisor wasn’t around, he had just left to attend to some other problem. As we waited around my brother-in-law was on his cell phone calling home, advising our respective spouses to stay put and not go out shopping until we got our little situation under control.

After 20 minutes and no supervisor, we went back to the desk and asked the CSR if the supervisor could be paged. She said that she’d talk to the office staff herself and took our passports and boarding passes then disappeared into La Oficina. Five minutes later she came back and said that everything was taken care of. Somebody in charge signed his name on my son’s boarding pass and wrote in Spanish that he was authorized to leave Mexico unaccompanied by his mother. The CSR said that my son’s PNR had been updated to reflect this permission and I wouldn’t have any problems in Guadalajara for the flight continuation.

Crisis resolved, and even more amazing it didn’t require a “mordida” (bribe), we headed up the escalator to the National Terminal’s mezzanine in Hall “B”. The Mexicana lounge is landside here, so we went in where I presented our boarding passes and my United premier exec card. A very pleasant receptionist made a record of our visit and, when I asked, said that my brother-in-law was more than welcome to join us in the lounge. She also gave my son several souvenir cards of Mexicana Airbus-319 jets; they have statistics about the aircraft on the outside and on the inside is a paper cutout plane model he could put together.

We made our way into the lounge, which was about half full but didn’t feel crowded. We found a quiet corner outside the Internet terminal room (4 Spanish-language workstations). An open bar beckoned, with a very nice selection of premium booze, sodas, and mixers. Snacks consisted of cold meats, cheeses, rolls, peanuts, and cookies. We each chose our favorite libation and grabbed something to eat.

After my brother-in-law left for home, my son and I had another round of drinks and I made a few local calls to friends and family. Local calls from the lounge were free. There is an ATM machine in the lounge too. We used the clean restroom and then headed to the security station just a few steps from the lounge entrance.

At security our boarding passes and passports were checked and then we were waved over to the x-ray station. The tech working the x-ray asked if my son’s carry-on contained a bottle. Yikes, she found my stash of Cazadores tequila! After verifying that yes, indeed it was a bottle, we were allowed to proceed into Sala-B (Waiting Lounge B).

Apparently gate assignments for national flights are often not assigned until just before departure. There are a few snack bars, a restaurant, a Burger King, and a bar or two airside. I also spotted a Salon VIP lounge on this side of security, but no Star Alliance lounges. Since we were in the National Terminal, there was no duty free shopping but there were several stands selling knick-knacks, books, clothing, souvenirs, etc. We headed over to Burger King to get something to eat, then walked into the gate area to do some plane spotting. We could barely make out the volcano Iztaccihuatl through the smog and Popocatépetl (which is the one that is currently active) could not be seen at all.

Thirty minutes before departure, the monitor showed our gate assignment as #4. Gate 4 is at the westernmost end of the airport. There are no “peoplemovers” here, so we started hiking. It wasn’t THAT far but to listen to my son you would think that we had just walked across the entire Ciudad de Mexico! A few minutes after arriving at the gate the announcement was made to preboard Clase Ejecutiva and *G passengers. A rent-a-cop at the gate opened and examined the contents of our carry-on bags and then we were allowed to proceed to our seats 8A and 8C. The flight to GDL was about half full and 8B remained empty.

Pushback was on time and, since we were already at the west end of the airport, our taxi out to the runway was short. After take off we made a 180 turn back west which provided the left side of the plane with a good view of the two volcanoes. Our flying time was announced at 45 minutes and, as in the previous Mexicana flights, all announcements were prerecorded. A drink and sandwich service was performed and before long we were landing at Guadalajara’s international airport.

The Sacramento bound passengers were instructed to stay on board the aircraft while the Guadalajara passengers disembarked down the airstairs to a waiting bus. After they left, we were instructed to take our carry-on bags and head down to the bus. One of the passengers asked a flight attendant why we had to get off the plane and she explained that the security detail had to check out the plane and crew before we could continue our flight to the USA.

At the terminal building, a short 2 minute bus ride away, we headed into the dingy transit lounge. A Mexicana staffer collected our Mexican tourist cards at the door. Many passengers made a beeline to the duty free shop but they had to move quick as we had only ten minutes before we had to get back on the bus and head out to the plane.

Out on the tarmac, armed guards stood around our aircraft and I noticed that the flight crew and flight attendants were each getting checked by a couple of guys with handheld metal detectors. We headed back into the plane where we found the Guadalajara to Sacramento passengers already on board. A lady had taken 8C, my son’s seat, but I told her she could stay there and he could sit in 8B.

Engines started and we started moving…towards the terminal. Engines off. We sit for a few minutes and then the Captain came on the intercom to announce that somebody had managed to board with a dog and the dog did not have the required documentation to enter the USA. So security had to come on board, get the passenger and the dog then we were free to go. Fortunately the delay was only 15 minutes or so and then we were on our way to El Norte.

Moving my son to the middle seat turned out to be a good choice as he got airsick about 30 minutes into the flight. Fortunately we made it to the lavatory in the back and, after he purged Burger King from his stomach, he felt a little better and fell asleep for the four hour flight to SMF. The F/As came by a few times to check on him and kept me supplied with ice water.

Dinner service was a choice of beef taco or tuna casserole. I passed on dinner as I wanted to be able to get out of my seat quickly in case my son needed to get to the lavatory again. Behind us in row 9 was a family of four (includes the ubiquitous crying lap baby). Lap baby apparently pooped mid-flight, because as I was dozing I suddenly was stirred awake by the unmistaken stench of dirty diaper. Bet you didn’t know that you could change a baby in the aisle of an Airbus 319. A couple of rows back there was another family who had brought what looked like a small turkey (cooked, not live) on board with all the fixings to make tacos. Dad pulled the meat off the carcass while mom ladled salsa and guacamole onto fresh tortillas and rolled up tacos for the family. I think there were eight traveling together. So even though there was no in-flight entertainment, there was enough going on to keep things interesting.

We landed at SMF right on time at 10:30 p.m. and taxied to the new International Arrivals building. I/A is the old Commuter Terminal that has been remodeled. Inside was brand spanking new. Two immigration officers processed Sacramento’s one and only scheduled international flight of the day. I asked the officer if he could stamp our passports as I wanted SMF stamps and said sure. But they turned out to be San Francisco entry stamps. Oh well.

Unloading the plane took awhile. I don’t know what it is about SMF ground services, but they are SLOW when it comes to offloading baggage. Two of our bags were the first through the chute, but my trusty Briggs and Riley was near the end of the second wave. We headed for the green customs line where we turned in our declaration and then we were outside. Home at last!

In retrospect I will probably use this Mexicana service again. The convenience of the direct flight was well worth it, even though I feel that United’s coach product is superior to Mexicana’s. I also liked the early evening return flight; typically flights on UA back home from MEX leave in the early morning. I understand from news reports that Mexicana is pleased with their new SMF-GDL-MEX flights and is considering adding additional service and possibly new resort destinations.

FIN

[This message has been edited by El Cochinito (edited 03-03-2003).]

Was C full?

Did you ask for an upgrade as a *G?

The latter isn't as much a gimme as it once was, but the key with MX is to ask regardless of the rules, b/c rules don't mean much with them.

Call 'em the anti-Delta. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets

C had a couple of open seats on the outbound flight and was maybe half full on the return. It never occured to me to ask for an upgrade so I'll have to try that next time http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

muy, muy bien, senor. Muy interesante.

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PA747-May it rest in Peace

Great report! I will be going to Mexico City for the first time on Friday and I am printing this out for reference http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by yevlesh2 (edited Jan 07, 2004).]

muy interesante indeed... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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Patrick A. Inouye, LMT
volunteer trip reports moderator

Thank you for the report. I was in Mexico City last March. We didn't have any problems concerning security or crime, but we stayed either in very touristic places or had local friends with us showing around.

We went shopping for artesanal products/souvenirs at Centro Artesanal Buenavista which is said to be located in a "low-security" area, but we didn't have any problems.

I enjoyed Mexico City (apart for some breathing problems) and definetely recommend.

I too have done souvenir shopping here; this place is huge and offers a large selection of merchandise. You can get better prices elsewhere but the selection can't be beat. It is located out on Insurgentes Norte, next to the northern train station.

Gracias for este ameno e interesante reporte. Al parecer el hecho de viajar a Mexico en una aerolinea nacional es mas entretenido que ver un video.

By the way, how would you rate Aeromexico in comparison to MX? I always had the impression that AM is a notch better and a bit more established since they do have flights into MAD and CDG. I have only flown them LAX-MEX in Clase Premier and thought that they were outstanding in terms of catering. Cabin service is inconsistent ranging from indifference to excellence.

Your report brought back old memories about Mexicana.

About 25 years ago we had planned to visit Cozumel which I had always dreamt of visiting. We were booked on Mexicana from Miami to Cozumel. About 1 week before we were set to go they went on strike. We ended up going to Cancun on Eastern which we did not particularly like, but were able to stop over in New Orleans which we enjoyed.

A few years later we flew MX from Guadalajara to Manzanillo. Though a short flight they did serve a snack. Just as they got to our row, a little over half way, they said "sorry no more snacks." I was not a happy camper.