Direct to Cozumel story = bag drag

[judydivescoz]

Knowing the rest of that story elevates this travel disaster to another level.

Joe, we can't even fly direct to CUN out of Louisville so we fly direct to CZM. We always have one connection and try to book layovers with a minimum of an hour and a half or 2 1/2 when clearing customs. Then you just hope for good weather.

It aways pays to write a letter or two when you feel you have not been treated well by the airlines. A mechanical problem compounded by bad weather results in big problems for the traveler. In our case, the mechanical problem was that the coffee pot would not latch properly causing an hour delay which caused the whole chain of events to occur. Seems silly but it happens all the time. My point was that you have to make the best of any situation.

 

[Prop Joe]

I've traveled all over the world by myself on my way to fix things. I like to travel. This one trip got to me though. Just didn't want to deal with it. We both wanted to get home.The wife is normally a trooper when it comes to traveling. We have gotten free tickets for being flexible and taking a later flight on other occasions. Normally doesn't matter to me I work on planes so for me it's kind of nice just to hang at the airport and look at things I normally don't have time to look at. This trip I think the emotions got the best of us. I tried to roll with the punches but that thing at the drive thru... We were hungry. I left out I had a little temper tantrum spewing four letter words like know bodies business. I felt better, but I think I just upset Kim even more. Oh well, Makes for a good story.

The ring thing is kind of interesting. I had paid for the ring here locally. Kim said she liked the one at the store but later that afternoon said she wanted it in platinum... I already had the white gold one paid for. Back I went to the jewelry store. I explained my predicament to the manager. I told her I need the ring so I could get on one knee in Cozumel, at sunset near the water. She said I could take white gold one I had paid for, order the one that Kim wanted, then return the white gold one when the platinum one came in. Well it gets to a week before we are leaving, No platinum. Back to the store again. I ask if it is OK to take the white gold ring to Mexico if the Platinum doesn't come in. That's what I did. I proposed with the white gold one then took it back when we got home. I had thousands of dollars floating around for not just one but two rings engagement rings. I was a very nervous guy! It all worked out though. I gave the manager at the jewelry shop an 8X10 of that picture of me on my knee. She actually shed a tear and said that was the coolest story. She told me she framed it. She was more than happy to give me my money back for the white gold ring. Kim had her platinum. Life is good! At the airport the TSA guy is giving me a hard time saying there is something in my pocket. I told him it was a good luck charm. Kim was off collecting photo equipment and the laptop so I quickly pulled out the ring and showed it to the TSA guy then pointed to Kim and said SHHHhhhhh. She thankfully never saw what was going on. So we get to the island and I was hoping for a nice sunset as there was a welcome party at the Villa. No dice, Cloudy. I told caregiver and friend Kay what was going on. She was really excited. Well, had to go diving in the morning so I made my dive buddy's wife hold the ring for me. She didn't like that idea but held it anyway. Took a few days and you see the results in the pictures. By the time I did the deed I think everyone at the Villa knew but Kim. She was so surprised. She never expected it.
Life is good!

Direct to CZM, no stops, would be perfect. Nobody does it anymore. ATA used to go three times a week sometimes more depending on demand. 911 was the end of that. We have chosen to go direct CUN when able now. American used to use a 757 for the CUN run. Now they went to a smaller 737. Capacity went down demand is the same as it was with the bigger 757. Price went up and all of the other airlines followed suite. This spring we'll be on Continental as it was $150 cheaper making the connection than flying direct to CUN. Years past it is the other way around.

 

[Prop Joe]

It aways pays to write a letter or two when you feel you have not been treated well by the airlines. A mechanical problem compounded by bad weather results in big problems for the traveler. In our case, the mechanical problem was that the coffee pot would not latch properly causing an hour delay which caused the whole chain of events to occur. Seems silly but it happens all the time. My point was that you have to make the best of any situation.

I wrote letters. They gave Kim a free ticket and gave me miles. It worked out. Never did find out what happened to that plane (737) though. I know maintenance guy's at American but things were screwed up for a week after that storm went through DFW. I never did get an answer as to what broke. We have been delayed on the same flight waiting for a cargo pit net used to tie down baggage on another trip. That was at DFW Americans home base. Two hour delay for a cargo net that they probably have in a hanger at the same airport.
Bottom line: Better than a bus and a boat to get to Cozumel!

 

[ggunn]

It aways pays to write a letter or two when you feel you have not been treated well by the airlines. A mechanical problem compounded by bad weather results in big problems for the traveler. In our case, the mechanical problem was that the coffee pot would not latch properly causing an hour delay which caused the whole chain of events to occur. Seems silly but it happens all the time. My point was that you have to make the best of any situation.

Once I got in a situation leaving Cozumel where the (Continental) plane making the HOU-CZM-HOU run had a mechanical problem in Houston. They kept telling us that it would be taking off to come get us in the next 10 minutes, but after a couple of hours of the same story, I went up to the counter and told the agent to give us our luggage back and we'd go wait at the hotel. I gave her the number of the hotel and asked her to call me when the plane left Houston.

They never called. I found out later that after another 4 hours of waiting, they gathered up all the passengers and hustled them off to some hotel where they had crummy rooms, crummy food, and had to make do with their carry on bags. My group was back in our same rooms with all our stuff and sipping margaritas poolside all afternoon.

We got out the next day without incident.

 

[judydivescoz]

Sounds like nobody on that plane was better than you and your group Gordon. Fresh clothing and Margaritas poolside!!

Great ring story Joe. I like a woman who knows what she wants.

 

[diverken374]

I fly out of Toronto and it is difficult to get a direct flight to Coz. unless you are doing a package or there is a seat available on a charter. Lots of direct flights to Cancun and the bus ferry connection is not that bad esp. if your timing is right.
Most of the time do a connection in DFW or Charlotte to Cozumel.
My next trip has me going to Charlotte the Coz however my return flight is on March 27th at 11:50 from Coz to Chicago on United so I can assume that there is a direct flight from Chicago to Coz that morning.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

I have flown into and out of Cozumel and Cancun, probably over one hundred times since 1992. I often travel with my wife and three kids so the Cancun Bag drag has its problems for me. But I can assure you that if I have a choice of direct flight into Cancun, with no plane change, that is what I do.

Everyone can have a horror story, but I am convinced that your odds are much better of avoiding all kinds of problems (mechanical, missed connections, weather) with Cancun. On the other hand, if you can't get a direct flight into Cancun then it doesn't make much difference--except for the frequent lower fares and more frequent flights.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers


Dave Dillehay

 

[cvchief]

It was Dave's website the gave me the info on how to do it the first time we came and did the bag drag. It's a nice resource. (thought he should add that you can check your bags in early and go get a cervesa ! )
Thanks for that Dave!!

 

[JBert]

After reading this, you all have me concerned about my Jan 2011 trip. Any suggestions on an easy way to get from Bradley (BDL) to Coz?!

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Dear Jbert,

I don't know why you are concerned. No matter where you fly, stuff sometimes happens but the end result is that you end up in Cozumel. My guess is that from BDL there are no direct flights to Cancun, so why worry. The worst thing that may happen is NOT TOO BAD.

Enjoy,


Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers